Pune: Impostors posing as Navy officers nabbed for fake recruitment scheme

Lonavala police successfully apprehended a man and his two accomplices involved in a fraudulent recruitment scam, wherein they posed as navy officers. The police strategically set up a trap to capture the culprits. The individuals responsible for the crime have been identified as Akash Kashinath Dange (28), Jayraj Anandrao Chavan (26), and Abhay Kakade (26), all hailing from Phaltan in the Satara district. Additionally, the police confiscated a car, navy uniforms, and various other items from the accused individuals.

According to the reports, the accused individual impersonated a naval officer and allegedly promised employment to 19 people in exchange for a payment of Rs 3 lakhs per person. A complaint was lodged by advocate Aishwarya Lendghar, who operates a notary business in Lonavala. Lendghar reported that the accused approached her while wearing a navy uniform and coerced her into creating an affidavit. He persistently visited her office, claiming to be a Navy personnel. Dange assured Lendghar and her acquaintances in the Lonavala area of securing positions in the Navy, demanding a sum of Rs 3 lakhs from each individual as payment for employment.

After contacting the authorities at INS Shivaji, Lendghar uncovered that there were no ongoing recruitment processes taking place. In a clever move, she feigned interest in hiring another individual and informed the accused about it. Unaware of Lendghar's true intentions, the accused agreed to proceed with the arrangement. Sensing an opportunity, Lendghar promptly notified the police about the situation, revealing the accused's plan to accept payment and issue a counterfeit job appointment letter. In a coordinated effort, a joint team comprising officers from the Lonavla City Police Station and INS Shivaji Lonavala Naval Police Team swiftly raided the location and detained the three suspects.