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Police probe reveals that builder threatened farmer with lighter, not revolver
Mangesh had alleged that Bhosale, a builder, threatened him with a ‘revolver’ when he demanded balance payment in a land deal
Turns out that the ‘revolver’ being brandished at a farmer by a builder in a social media reel that has since gone viral is ‘a lighter and not a firearm’ as stated by the farmer in his complaint, the Vishrantwadi police probe has revealed.
Mangesh Shivaji Panchmukh, 34, a farmer from Ranjangaon, Shirur taluka, Pune district, had filed a complaint against four individuals identified as Prabhakar Pandurang Bhosale, Deepak Rajkumar Panchmukh, Sachin Bhalchandra Panchmukh, and Kiran Ashok Panchmukh. Mangesh had alleged that Bhosale, a builder, threatened him with a ‘revolver’ when he demanded balance payment in a land deal.
In the reel, Bhosale is seen pulling out a revolver-like weapon before being requested by two other persons “to please calm down”. Following the duo’s pleas, Bhosale is seen putting the firearm back in its cover.
DCP (zone 4) Vijay Magar who supervised the police probe said that they have concluded that the ‘revolver’ seen in the viral video is actually a lighter.
DCP Magar said that Mangesh filed a complaint on April 3, 2023. In his statement, Mangesh alleged that the accused forcibly took him in a car from Ranjangaon to Bhosale’s office in Vishrantwadi. There, Bhosale allegedly threatened him with what appeared to be a revolver. Upon investigation, it was revealed that Mangesh had sold his land in Ranjangaon to Bhosale. All transactions related to the sale had been completed. Furthermore, Mangesh had assisted Bhosale in other land transactions for which, Bhosale had agreed to pay Mangesh ₹6 lakh to build a house. However, Bhosale refused to pay the pending amount after initially paying Mangesh ₹2 lakh. Mangesh began demolishing his existing house and constructing a new one and faced numerous challenges in the bargain. Despite repeated attempts to contact Bhosale for the outstanding amount, Bhosale refused to pay the said amount.
DCP Magar said that later in a statement recorded before the police, Mangesh admitted that the firearm seen in the video was a lighter and that he had filed the complaint in an attempt to get money from Bhosale to construct his house.
DCP Magar further said that Mangesh gave a detailed statement to the police on April 26, 2023, clarifying the absence of any serious complaint against the accused. The next day on April 27, 2023, Bhosale surrendered the lighter at the police station and the same was identified by Mangesh as the article seen in the video. “The case investigation is under progress and we are reviewing all aspects of the complaints and related developments,” DCP Magar said.
