Pune: In Dhankawadi, Pune, a case of fraud surfaced when Tanaji Namdev Pangre, aged 76, lodged a complaint at Sahakarnagar Police Station. The incident, occurring between May 2022 and April 4, 2024, involved the creation of a forged power of attorney leading to the illicit transfer of a rented property to the accused’s brother. Among the accused, Ambadas Suryavanshi, a former journalist, and two others were arrested, while one remains at large.
The incident began when Pangre rented out a property located at Chawl No. C/6/14. Ambadas Suryavanshi, posing as a tenant, secured the property under a rental agreement in May 2022. Shortly after, a forged power of attorney was concocted with Pangre’s forged signature, falsely indicating a monetary transaction. Witnesses Prabhakar Ingle and Mukesh Jadhav collaborated by providing fake signatures and thumbprints. Subsequently, using this fake power of attorney, Pangre was coerced to vacate the property.
Pangre, however, contested any involvement in the creation or receipt of the power of attorney. He reported the matter to the police, urging a thorough investigation. Upon police scrutiny, it was revealed that the power of attorney was not registered but merely notarized. Furthermore, forged signatures and thumbprints were identified, confirming fraudulent activity. Consequently, Sahkarnagar police initiated legal proceedings and arrested the perpetrators.
The accused were brought before the court, where they were remanded into police custody for further interrogation. The court granted a seven-day custody extension to facilitate ongoing investigations led by Police Inspector Crime Uttam Bhajanawale. The case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 182, as well as Section 34.