Lonavala, a small town in Satara district, was recently shaken by the arrest of a man and his two accomplices involved in a fraudulent recruitment scam. The trio had been posing as navy officers, preying on the dreams and aspirations of innocent individuals seeking employment in the Navy. However, their deceitful operation came to an end when the Lonavala police set a trap and successfully apprehended the culprits.
The main accused, identified as Akash Kashinath Dange, aged 28, along with Jayraj Anandrao Chavan and Abhay Kakade, both 26 years old, were residents of Phaltan in Satara district. The police not only arrested them but also seized crucial evidence, including a car, navy uniforms, and various other items, which further exposed their nefarious activities.
The modus operandi of the accused was to portray themselves as navy officers and make false promises of securing jobs for their victims. They specifically targeted 19 individuals, exploiting their desperate desire for employment, and demanded exorbitant sums of money—Rs 3 lakhs per person—as a fee for their services. One of the victims who bravely stepped forward to lodge a complaint was advocate Aishwarya Lendghar, a reputable figure running a notary business in Lonavala.
Lendghar recounted her encounter with the imposter, explaining how he approached her office in full naval attire, masquerading as a genuine navy officer. Through coercive tactics, he compelled her to make an affidavit and repeatedly visited her, reiterating his claims of being a navy personnel. Dange, the mastermind behind the scheme, assured Lendghar and her acquaintances in the Lonavala area that he had the power to secure coveted navy positions for them. However, he demanded an outrageous sum of Rs 3 lakhs from each individual as a precondition for employment.
Alarmed by the situation, Lendghar decided to take matters into her own hands. She contacted the personnel at INS Shivaji, a renowned naval base, to verify the authenticity of Dange’s recruitment activities. Shockingly, she discovered that no active recruiting processes were taking place at the time. Armed with this knowledge, Lendghar devised a plan to expose the fraudsters.
Pretending to be interested in employing someone else, Lendghar arranged a meeting with Dange. Seizing the opportunity, she promptly informed the police about Dange’s intentions to accept the payment and provide a forged job appointment letter. Responding swiftly, a joint team comprising officers from the Lonavla City Police Station and the INS Shivaji Lonavala Naval Police Team coordinated efforts to apprehend the culprits.
With precision and efficiency, the authorities raided the location where the suspects were expected to conduct the illicit transaction. As expected, the three individuals were apprehended without incident. This successful operation not only put an end to their deceptive activities but also served as a warning to others who may attempt similar scams in the future.
