Woman, aide booked for cheating ex-serviceman of ₹17.27 lakh

According to the FIR lodged by the ex-serviceman, identified as Suresh Nigunda Naik, 39, of Wanowrie and an electrician by profession, he had received a mobile call from the main accused identified as Sanjeevani Patane, 27, in November 2022 for some electrical work in her house

In a joint operation by the Southern Command Military Intelligence and Pune Police, the Wanowrie Police Station has lodged an FIR against a woman posing a ticket collector (TC) and her aide for allegedly defrauding an ex-serviceman of ₹17.27 lakh on false promise of providing jobs in the railways to two girls in his family.

While doing the work at her house, Patane produced fake identity and documents to Naik claiming that she worked as a TC and her husband Nilesh is with the Border Security Force (BSF). (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

According to the FIR lodged by the ex-serviceman, identified as Suresh Nigunda Naik, 39, of Wanowrie and an electrician by profession, he had received a mobile call from the main accused identified as Sanjeevani Patane, 27, in November 2022 for some electrical work in her house.

While doing the work at her house, Patane produced fake identity and documents to Naik claiming that she worked as a TC and her husband Nilesh is with the Border Security Force (BSF). She said to the complainant of recruiting candidates into the railways after taking money from them. Naik gave ₹17.27 lakh to the main accused on different occasions for giving jobs in the railways to his two family members. After taking the initial payments, she refused to fulfil the promise citing that her husband was admitted to hospital due to brain tumour. Later, after persistent efforts, she sent a WhatsApp message containing a fake selection letter and fake bank receipts to Naik.

However, since his two family members did not get selected in the job, Naik visited the bank to probe the authenticity of the receipts sent by Naik. The bank officials informed him that it was fake. He approached her again demanding a refund after which she lodged an FIR under IPC Sections 354 (a), 354 (d), 504 and 506 and 34. He also received life threats from one of her aides, identified as Shubham Modi of Yewalewadi, the FIR states.

Later, Naik visited her Raheja Garden flat and found her missing and learnt that her husband did not have brain tumour. He got to know that the accused had duped many gullible victims using similar modus operandi and offences had been lodged against her at Nigdi, Rahimatpur (Satara) and Nesri police stations. The police have invoked IPC Sections 420, 406, 468, 471, 506 and 34 against the accused.

Inspector Sanjay Patange said special teams have been formed to nab the accused.