The Meghwadi police executed an elaborate plan to trace and catch Mantralay official Sudhakar Gaikwad (55), which involved getting in touch with his daughter, her ex-boyfriend and their common female friend.
Gaikwad was arrested along with six others, including a PSI with the ATS in connection with a `60 lakh-cheating case. Gaikwad could not be traced as he had switched off his cellphone and also sold his Thane home.
Gaikwad, a stenographer in the directorate general of information and public relations (DGIPR) in the Mantralaya, had given “allotment letters” and other forged documents to ATS PSI Dilip Bhosale, who handed them over to the victim Sheriyar Irani (60).
Bhosale was suspended by ATS chief Rakesh Maria following his arrest on June 15, along with Rajesh Upadhyay (60), Sanjay Mehta, Jagjitsingh Atra and Anil Purohit. On June 21, the police arrested Gaikwad along with Srinivas Madhav Suryawanshi (27).
“Gaikwad had ensured that he never called Bhosale from his cellphone, and always used his landline. The cellphone number was switched off. He had also sold his house at Samata Nagar in Thane around three months ago and therefore, could not be found there. However, we managed to get the phone number of his daughter’s friend. Through her, we got in touch with Gaikwad’s daughter’s former boyfriend,” said an officer.
The police convinced the former boyfriend to call up the girl, though he was skeptical about her answering his calls.
“We convinced him to give her a call, which she luckily answered and the two met. We then told her about our real intention and asked her to call Gaikwad and meet her in Kalwa on June 21, where they currently live. Gaikwad reached the spot and was held,” the officer added.
All the seven accused are currently in judicial custody and the Andheri magistrate court recently rejected their bail application.
The police said that the “allotment letter” given to Mr Irani also mentioned the name of 15 other “beneficiaries” whose identity the police is now confirming.
“If they are real persons, then that gives more witnesses and potential victims who too were duped by the accused,” said an officer. Mr Irani was promised a house under the CM’s discretionary quota for the physically disabled as his son was handicapped.