Pune’s famed ‘gold man’ bludgeoned to death

Police said Phuge had two houses — one in Gavahne vasti and another in Sheetalbaug. Several persons — including those from Bhosari, Vishrantwadi and other places in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad — had invested money in his chit fund. He had given loan at an exorbitant interest rate and had dispute over financial matters with several of his investors after he allegedly failed to return their investments.

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Phuge’s son Shubham, the eyewitness, lodged a complaint with the Dighi police soon after the incident occurred, soon, teams of Dighi and Vishrantwadi police and the Crime Branch initiated a probe. Five persons have been arrested till now.

“Phuge and his son were invited by one of the suspects, who know each other, to celebrate a birthday party. However, we are investigating how Phuge reached the open ground where he was murdered,” said a police officer.

Narrating how the tragedy unfolded, Shubham said, “Around 7.30pm on Thursday, I got a call on my mobile phone from a man who identified himself as my father’s friend and his name was Atul Mohite. He informed me that they had organised a birthday party and that my father was invited.”

However, Shubham said he did not disturb his father as he had been unwell since morning and was fast asleep.

“However, I got a call from the same person around 10 pm. He told me that he had placed a bet of Rs 10,000 with his friends that Phuge would turn up for the party at any cost. ‘Let me at least win the bet’, the caller had said,” recalled Shubham.

Realising that his father had woken up by then, Shubham conveyed to Phuge about the birthday party and how his alleged friends wanted him there.

“My father asked me to get some food — a vegetable biriyani and a chicken biriyani — and join him at the party. So I went to get the food and my father set out for the party,” he said.

However, Shubham added, his father was not accompanied by the two bodyguards who otherwise always move around with him, as it was an impromptu plan.

When Shubham reached Bharatmata Nagar in Dighi area from Bhosari-Alandi Road in his car, he was startled to see that people were beating his father with sharp weapons. “Nearly 10 to 12 people were beating him up. Spotting me, they started fleeing. But I had already identified four or five of them as they used to come to our house,” he added.

Harping on the fact that he could do little to save his father, and breaking down for a moment briefly, Shubham said, “There was no party or anything of that sort. It was all fake. They tricked my father to come to the spot. The killers had switched off the lights at the spot as well.”

Shubham had alleged that the caller owed Rs 3 lakh to his father. “At least once, there was an argument between my father and him…I don’t know whether there was any other argument between the two,” he said.

Kalpana Baravkar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone IV), said while search for the brain behind the crime – Atul Mohite – is on, those arrested have been identified as Amol alias Balli Kailas Pathare (24) of Mhaske Wasti, Alandi Road, Shailesh Suryakant Walke (26) of Yamai Nagar, Dighi, Vishal Datta Parkhe (32) of Vishrantwadi, Nivrutti alias Bal Kisan Walke (45) of Dighi and Prem alias Kakka Dholpuriya (23) of Bopkhel.

Baravkar also said, “Last year, an offence of cheating was registered against Phuge at the Khadki police station for financial fraud. Also, a proposal to extern Phuge was put up following complaints of financial disputes and hooliganism against him. But the proposal was not approved.”

Police said that suspect Parkhe and Walkhe are history sheeters and that Walkhe owed about Rs 1.5 lakh to Phuge. A probe revealed that Phuge was after him for the money. So Walkhe and others also had disputes with Phuge and conspired to kill him. Senior police inspector N K Ghogre of Dighi police station is investigating the case.

Stating that the family wants justice, Shubham said, “All the 10 to 12 killers should be arrested by the police immediately. I have already given them some names.” The gold man’s wife, Seema Phuge was a corporator with the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, but lost her seat after her caste certificate was declared as invalid.