Mumbai police files 2nd FIR in 2 days against IPS officer’s husband for duping Surat businessman, others of Rs 7.42 crore

EOW had on Thursday filed its first FIR against Chavan and 11 others for allegedly duping 20 people to the tune of Rs 24.78 crore under the pretext of selling them government quota flats in Mumbai, Thane and Pune at concessional rates by using his clout in Mantralaya.

The latest FIR has been filed against Chavan, Narayan Sawant and Yashwant Pawar on the complaint of Raosaheb Desai (48), a Surat resident who has a textile business.

As per his complaint to the EOW, he was duped by Chavan and his associates between March 2015 and April 2024.

Chavan and his associates accepted money from the businessmen by luring them into purchasing land at low prices from the government quota and development rights of Pune and Thane municipal corporations, the FIR states.

He also allegedly accepted money from them by claiming that with the help of his clout in government offices and the police department, he would help them get contracts to supply t-shirts and hoodies to Maharashtra Police Academy, Nashik. Chavan has accepted money in his bank account, one of the complainant businessmen alleged in the FIR.

An EOW official said that Chavan, with the help of others, prepared fake contract documents for the purchase of plots and to supply t-shirts and hoodies at MPA Nashik. Chavan also pretended to register the plot purchase documents  in the stamp registration office of Sub-Registrar Office Thane-5. He pretended that these documents were genuine copies and gave photocopies to victims.

The EOW on Friday searched the Colaba residence of Chavan and his officer wife and seized certain documents.

The financial crime special cell will soon record Chavan’s wife’s statement to determine if she had any role. Chavan is currently in jail as he was arrested by ED last year in connection with another case.

Chavan and other accused persons have been booked under sections 420 (cheating), 419 (cheating by impersonation), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Both the FIRs were registered by EOW against Chavan after ED shared details of the glaring irregularities they came across while investigating Chavan’s role in another case, a Rs 263 crore income tax refund fraud case. Chavan was arrested by the ED on May 20, 2024 in that case.

It is earnt that the IPS officer in question has already filed for divorce from her husband on the grounds of mental cruelty, financial harassment, incompatibility, husband’s bipolar disorder, and him concealing financial dealings.