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Seven private RTO agents held in Pimpri-Chinchwad for forging police verification certificates
According to the police, the arrested charged anywhere between ₹15,000 and ₹80,000 for a permit obtained using the forged documents
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police crime branch arrested seven regional transport office (RTO) agents for forging police verification certificates used to grant permits to autorickshaw drivers. The arrested accused work as private agents outside the Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO office.
According to the police, the arrested charged anywhere between ₹15,000 and ₹80,000 for a permit obtained using the forged documents.
The accused have been identified as Ashok Bhimrao Jogdand, 37, a resident of Annabhau Sathenagar near Bhakti Shakti, Nigdi; Balaji Ashok Mashalkar, 40, Shirkrushna colony in Rahatani, Kalewadi; Sachin Mahadu Salvi, 35, a resident of Rupinagar in Talwade; Mukund Dattu Pawar, 30, Ankush Chowk, Nigdi; Ramdas Machindra Hanpude, 35, a resident of Raigad colony in Chikhli; Kiran Rambhau Dhobale, 26, a resident of Landewadi in Bhosari and Khetmal Namdev Patil, 36, a resident of Vijaynagar in Kalewadi.
The police have recovered 88 fake police verification certificates from their possession so far. Of the 88 recovered documents, Jogdand was found in possession of 39 forged police verification certificates, while Mashalkar was in possession of 37, Salve with six, and Pawar six fake certificates.
Senior inspector Uttam Tangde of Unit 1 Pimpri-Chinchwad police crime branch, said, “Our officer from the pass verification department received a letter that there were forged documents with his name being circulated. He informed DCP Sudhir Hiremath about it and we investigated the matter for the past four-five days and identified these men.”
“We suspect the number of accused to increase by 2 or 3,” said Tangde.
The police also found other forged documents such as school leaving certificate, blank letters with signatures of school principals, and few documents with credentials of local tehsildars.
