In a shocking incident that has recently come to light, 37 unsuspecting residents of Lonavla have fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme disguised as a pilgrimage to Chardham. The victims, who collectively lost an estimated sum of ₹10 lakh, have lodged a complaint against the owner of a tourist company based in Pune.
The complainant, Pradeepkumar Dattatray Mode, a 55-year-old resident of Bhangarwadi, Lonavla, took the initiative to report the incident to the Lonavla city police station. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against the proprietor of Dream Caster Tours, Sanket Ramchandra Bhadale, who resides in Dhayari. Bhadale, who also maintains an office in Wadgaon Budruk, had advertised a Chardham yatra, enticing 37 individuals to register for the trip. Each participant paid ₹28,000 to secure their spot.
However, matters took a distressing turn when Bhadale informed the eager travelers on May 10 that the yatra had been canceled. Mode, concerned about the sudden change of plans, sought clarification from Bhadale, who assured him that the pilgrimage would be rescheduled for June. To further establish a sense of trust, Bhadale issued checks to the victims as a form of compensation.
Unfortunately, the promised reimbursements turned out to be futile. The checks issued by Bhadale bounced, leaving the victims defrauded and deeply disheartened. As they desperately attempted to contact Bhadale via phone, their efforts were in vain, as his mobile phone was perpetually switched off.
Following these distressing revelations, an FIR has been registered, and the Lonavla city police station has taken up the investigation. Leading the case is Police Inspector Sitaram Dubal, who is committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice and providing the affected residents with the support they deserve.
