Two booked for duping famous author of Rs 1 lakh in Pune

Accused had promised to help Nagnath Lalujirao Kottapalle get more money against an insurance policy the author had purchased for his son in the past

PUNE: Two persons were booked for duping Nagnath Lalujirao Kottapalle, 70, a celebrated Marathi author, of Rs 1 lakh. Kottapalle is an author, former vice-chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada university, and former head of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (All India Marathi literature festival). The two accused are identified as Renuka Acharya and Prashant Dikshit. The incident took place between September 24 and October 25.

The author approached the police when the two accused sought more money after he had already paid them Rs 1 lakh. (AFP/PHOTO FOR REPRESENTATION ONLY)

The accused established contact with the author through various phone numbers and told him that they can help him get more money against an insurance policy he had purchased in the past.

“He had bought the policy in the name of his son in 2001 and had already paid the duo Rs1 lakh. When they asked for more money, he realised there was something wrong and approached the police,” said Sachin Suryavanshi, police sub inspector of Sangvi police station who is investigating the case. A case under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code was registered at Sangvi police station under Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate.