E-Paper
Pune man impersonating MP Amol Kolhe asks builder for money; arrested
The accused is believed to have been trying to take money from a city-based realtor under the guise of helping people during the lockdown
A man has been arrested by the Pune police crime branch on Wednesday, for impersonating Amol Kolhe, the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) member of parliament from Shirur.
The accused is believed to have been trying to take money from a Pune-based realtor under the guise of helping people during the lockdown.
Kolhe had informed the Pune police about an individual posing as him and asking for money from a Wanowrie-based real estate company’s employee.
The arrested man has been identified as Vishal Arun Shendge (32), a resident of Tilekar nagar in Kondhwa. A co-accused, who is yet to be arrested, has been identified as Suresh Bandu Kamble (32), a resident of PMC Colony, Gunj peth, Pune.
“Some time back the city police had received an application from Amol Kolhe that some person personated him and demanded assistance from a reputed builder. It was being investigated by the anti-extortion cell of the crime branch. In this matter, anti-extortion team has detained one person namely Vishal Shendge, who impersonated MP Kolhe,” said Bachchan Singh, deputy commissioner of police, Crime, Pune.
A case under Sections 170 (personating a public servant), 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating), and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code has been registered at Wanowrie against the two men.
“He called up the owner of Gera Constructions and posed as the MP and asked for money. He told the builder that the money will be used to help poor people during lockdown. Gera builder’s office staff was asked to cross-check with people in MP Kolhe’s office. After they learned that the call was from an impersonator, the MP’s office lodged a complaint,” said DCP Singh.
Shendge has been booked in seven criminal cases in the past.
Three of the seven cases registered against him are after he impersonated Chandrakant Patil, BJP’’s Maharashtra chief. Two of the three cases are regsitered at Kothrud, while one is registered at Alankar police station.
While Kamble arranged for a SIM card with which Shendge called the realtor. The police are now investigating if any of the people that Shendge tried to cheat by impersonating politicians had paid him any money.
