Pune: A shocking case of fraud has come to light in Pimpri, where a 25-year-old man, previously employed as a contractual worker in the water supply department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, was arrested for defrauding 600 individuals of a total of ₹22,41,760.

The accused, identified as Pratik Rajesh Dhainje, lured unsuspecting victims by promising them flats through the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA).

The fraud was exposed after a complaint was lodged at the Bhosari Police Station. According to police sources, Pratik had completed his education up to the 12th grade and worked as a contractual employee in the water supply department.

Using his former association with the municipal corporation, he convinced citizens of his strong connections within MHADA. Pratik reportedly collected ₹15,000 from each individual as application fees for MHADA flats and further secured agreements from them to pay ₹2 lakh after being allotted a flat. The total number of victims amounted to 600.

To make his scheme appear legitimate, Pratik created fake MHADA letterheads and forged documents in the names of senior officials. He even distributed some of these documents to selected victims.

To buy time and prevent suspicion, he frequently assured his victims that MHADA lotteries were forthcoming and that their names were under consideration.

The case came to light after Senior Police Inspector Suhas Awad from Pimpri-Chinchwad Crime Branch Unit 1 received intelligence about the scam. Acting swiftly, the police apprehended Pratik, who later admitted to the crime.

The police revealed that Pratik had been operating the fraudulent scheme for some time and had successfully duped a large number of people before being caught. Further investigations into the matter are being carried out by the Bhosari police to identify additional victims and recover the stolen funds.