Man impersonating Deshmukh’s kin held

Suspect Satosh Balasaheb Burud (27) of Balajinagar,Dhankwadi,was arrested with his accomplice Vijay Arjun Jadhar (23) of Khadki. Victims had also paid money to Burud for these assignments. The women had filed a complaint against him at Pune police Crime Branch.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Prabhakar Patil said Burud called himself Karan Deshmukh,nephew of Vilasrao Deshmukh. He would approach college girls and distribute his visiting cards of Silver Stone Entertainment,a firm he claimed was involved in modelling,event management and marketing. His accomplice Jadhar acted as his body guard.

Police said many girls gave him huge amount of money expecting a break in the modelling industry. Burud also asked the girls to pay registration fee of Rs 500 for becoming a volunteer and Rs 3,000 for becoming a co-ordinator for a charity programme. He assured Rs 10,000 to co-ordinators and Rs 2,000 to volunteers.

An MCA student of a prominent city college said she contacted the suspect as she wanted to be a volunteer at the charity event. “I paid the registration fees. When I inquired how he would give the assured returns,he replied that he owned two bungalows and lot of property and was organising the charity event for the blind to get income tax benefit. But the event never happened. Later he stopped receiving my phone calls. So I approached the police,” she said.

Another victim,also an MCA student,said she gave him Rs 35,000 and gold ornaments. “He said he would make me a co-ordinator at big events where I will get Rs 10,000 per day. He took more money for investing in share market,” she said.

The Crime Branch team comprising inspector Ram Pathare,S-I D N Survase,constables Sunil Pawar,Yogesh Jagtap,Chandrakant Phadtare,Narendra Parkhi,Satish Nagul,Kaveri Damse,Rajendra Marne,Santosh Kshrisagar,Sambhaji Bhagat,Narayan Phartade laid a trap and nabbed the suspects in the early hours of Friday.

“ We appeal to women to contact the crime branch at 020 26208241,” said inspector Pathare.