Special Correspondent
Pune: In a joint operation, the Pune City Police and Army Intelligence arrested a fraudster who posed as an Army personnel and duped aspiring candidates with false promises of recruitment into the defense services. The accused, identified as Nitin Balaji Suryavanshi, hails from Helamba village in Latur district and is currently in Bundgarden police custody. His fraudulent activities came to light after a victim, Bharat Ramesh Mahate (23) from Nanded district, filed a complaint against him.
According to the police, Mahate, a farmer from Hadapsar, first met Suryavanshi at Udgir railway station on August 13, 2024. Pretending to be a soldier, Suryavanshi assured him of securing a job in the Army or police force and took an initial sum of ₹1.75 lakh. On August 17, 2024, he met Mahate at the Southern Army Headquarters, dressed in an Army uniform to make his claims more convincing. Later, he extorted an additional ₹3 lakh, claiming that the recruitment process would commence in March 2025.
However, when Mahate tried to contact him on January 19, 2025, Suryavanshi ignored his calls, raising suspicion. Upon realizing he had been deceived, Mahate approached the police, leading to an investigation involving Army Intelligence. A trap was laid, resulting in Suryavanshi’s arrest. Further inquiries have revealed that he defrauded multiple youths, not just in Maharashtra but also in Karnataka. The Bundgarden police are now investigating the extent of his fraudulent activitie
