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Pune Crime Files: How thieves who broke into a govt strong room ‘for cash’ ended up walking out with an EVM

The first of its kind theft from a tehsildar’s office in Maharashtra ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls left the police and the government machinery in Pune shaken.

Written by: Chandan Haygunde, Sushant Kulkarni

4 min readPuneJan 26, 2026 02:45 PM IST

Soon after the theft at the tehsildar’s office in Pune’s Purandar came to light, top police and government officials visited the crime scene. (Express Photo)

Nearly two years ago, an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) was stolen from the tehsildar’s office in Pune’s Purandar taluka ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. A team of Pune Rural police swung into action, arresting the thieves and recovering the stolen EVM from them. But the incident, the first of its kind in Maharashtra, turned out to be an eye-opener for the government and police machinery.

The weekend theft

As per the First Information Report (FIR) filed at Saswad police station by Santosh Sanap, Naib Tehsildar, Purandar, the EVM worth Rs 18,500 was stolen on February 5, 2024. The complaint stated that the lock of the strong room at the tehsildar’s office was found to be broken that morning. When government officials checked the strong room, one of the EVMs secured in it was missing.

CCTV cameras at the tehsildar’s office had allegedly captured footage of three men committing the theft on the night of February 3, Saturday. It was also learnt that a policeman and a home guard deployed on guard duty were absent from the spot when the theft took place.

Soon after the theft came to light, top police and government officials in Pune visited the crime scene and a search was launched.

Police teams led by Inspector Avinash Shilimkar of the Local Crime Branch (LCB) scanned CCTV cameras installed over a 27-km area and found that the accused had gone to the Saswad–Malshiras area on a motorcycle.

Arrests and the surprising find

Following the lead, the officers initially arrested two men – Shivaji Bandgar alias Bhaiyya and Ajinkya Salunkhe, both from Purandar – and recovered the stolen EVM from them. Later, one more accused was arrested in this case, the police said, adding that the EVM was not damaged. Investigators believe that the accused had no intention to steal the voting machine.

Vinod Mahangade, who was then the Assistant Police Inspector at Saswad station, said the probe revealed that the accused wanted to steal money from the treasury room of the tehsildar’s office. “Instead, they broke into the strong room and made away with an EVM. Stealing an EVM from a government office was certainly a serious offence. The police arrested them quickly and solved the case,” he added.

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A police officer said the accused claimed to have stolen the briefcase-like box containing the voting machine thinking that it contained money. The police also suspected that the accused were drunk at the time of committing the crime.

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The EVMs were at the tehsildar’s office from December 2023 for training and voter awareness sessions before the Lok Sabha elections. (Representational image)

Denied bail, all three accused arrested in the case continue to remain in jail. “A chargesheet has been filed against them. The matter is before a court in Pune,” said Inspector Shilimkar, who was nominated for the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service, ahead of the 77th Republic Day celebrations.

Gaping holes in security arrangements

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the EVMs were with the tehsildar’s office from December 2023 for training and voter awareness sessions before the Lok Sabha elections. A total of 40 EVMs were placed in the strong room. Government officials and police officers were expected to follow strict security protocols at the spot.

However, the EVM theft exposed gaping holes in the security arrangements at the tehsildar’s office. A subsequent probe led to the suspension of a police guard over negligence.

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Taking serious note of the incident, the Election Commission of India (ECI) directed the Maharashtra Chief Secretary to seek an explanation from the district collector and the Superintendent of Police (SP) for failing to maintain security protocols at the strongroom where the EVMs were stored.

Following a communication from the ECI, a sub-divisional officer, a tehsildar and a sub-divisional police officer from Purandar were also placed under suspension, which was later quashed by the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT).

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

Sushant Kulkarni

Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More

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