Maharashtra’s Kalyan has witnessed a daring police crackdown on a fake cop syndicate that swindled Rs 5 lakh from a Pune resident. Eight members of the organized gang are now in custody, with authorities seizing Rs 2.36 lakh cash, two crime-laden Scorpios, and nine phones from their possession. The Kolsewadi squad’s swift action has sent shockwaves through criminal networks.
Deepak Shinde, hailing from Pune’s Waghole area, fell prey to the con artists’ scheme. Enticed by an offer to turn his Rs 5 lakh into Rs 7 lakh via note exchange, he was summoned to Kalyan’s Vitthalwadi station. What followed was a meticulously planned heist: fraudsters dangled counterfeit notes, only for ‘officers’ from a Scorpio to intervene dramatically.
Posing as law enforcers, the imposters seized the cash bag, detained Shinde’s associate in their SUV, and vanished. The victim wasted no time reporting to Kolsewadi Police, who filed FIR 103/2026. Leveraging advanced surveillance like cell tower data and vehicle tracking, detectives pinpointed the escape route along the Pune Highway.
Coordinated alerts to Talegaon Dabhade Police resulted in a toll naka trap at Somatne Phata, netting four. The chase extended to Alandi route towards Ahmednagar, where Rahuri station’s nakabandi apprehended the others. Key arrests feature seasoned criminals: Sanjay Bhosle (56), Gauspak Sheikh (36), Sominath Gaikwad (50), Arvind Jojat (39), Umashankar Pandey (51), Sharad Mohan (46), Naresh Sharma (45), and Laxman Dhanve (38).
Guided by top brass including DCP Atul Zende and API Kalyanji Ghete, alongside SI Hemant Gurkh and PI Ganesh Nhayade, this bust highlights inter-district synergy. The gang’s modus operandi involved intimidation through bogus authority, preying on greedy exchanges. As probes deepen, citizens are urged to verify police identities amid surging such frauds.