Special Correspondent
Pune: In a significant breakthrough, Pune police have dismantled an elaborate scam involving fake sureties used to secure bail for criminals. The fraud, which relied on forged documents and deceptive court proceedings, resulted in the unlawful release of multiple offenders. The police have arrested 11 individuals, including two lawyers, and are investigating the potential involvement of court staff in the racket.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajkumar Shinde confirmed the arrest of two lawyers—Adv. Aslam Ghafoor Syed (45, from Vaiduwadi, Hadapsar) and Adv. Yogesh Suresh Jadhav (43, from Hadapsar). Authorities also detained other key members of the scam, including Darshan Ashok Shah (45), a shopkeeper from Solapur Bazaar, Camp, who provided counterfeit rubber stamps, and Piraji alias Chandrakant Maruti Shinde (60) and Gopal Pundlik Kangane (35), who supplied forged ration cards.
How the Scam Operated
The fraudulent network was led by Farhan alias Bablu Shaikh (from Vaiduwadi, Hadapsar) and Adv. Narendra Jadhav, who coordinated with the arrested lawyers to recruit accomplices. These individuals targeted relatives of those facing criminal charges, offering bail in exchange for substantial sums of money. Fake documents—such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and manipulated online land records—were created using false identities. Additionally, counterfeit rubber stamps with the Deputy Commissioner of the Supply Department’s signature were used to give the documents a legitimate appearance.
Court clerks verified these forged documents, allowing the accused to secure bail.
Breakthrough and Arrests On January 4, acting on a tip-off, a team from Wanwadi Police Station apprehended Santoshkumar Shankar Telang and five fake sureties at the Lashkar Court. However, the main accused, Farhan alias Bablu Shaikh, managed to evade capture in the ensuing chaos. As of now, six individuals have been arrested, with more arrests expected as the investigation unfolds.
Ongoing Investigation Authorities are now reviewing court records to identify additional criminals who may have been released through fraudulent means. The police suspect that both court staff and lawyers may be complicit in the scam. Investigations are ongoing, and further arrests are likely as authorities work to uncover the full scope of the operation.
