Pune, 10 February 2026: Police have arrested a suspended police constable who was absconding in several financial fraud cases. The accused, Ganesh Ashok Jagatap (52), was traced to Fulpathru village in Kadappa district of Andhra Pradesh and taken into custody by a team from Bharati Vidyapeeth Police Station on Sunday afternoon.
Jagatap was facing multiple cheating cases registered at Bharati Vidyapeeth, Chatushrungi, and Kothrud police stations. According to police, he allegedly cheated a woman salon owner of more than ₹2.5 lakh in cash and around six tolas of gold ornaments by falsely claiming family medical emergencies and his daughter’s education expenses.
In another case registered in July, Jagatap allegedly duped a woman of 73 tolas of gold and ₹17 lakh in cash within the jurisdiction of Kothrud police station. During the same period, he also cheated a jeweller from the Aundh area by purchasing gold ornaments worth ₹8.22 lakh, allegedly using the name of a former senior police officer to gain trust.
Jagatap had been transferred to the Special Branch in August 2024 but failed to report for duty. Following the jewellery fraud incident, he was suspended by then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Milind Mohite.
Police further stated that Jagatap is also accused of submitting forged documents in 2021 to obtain a President’s Police Medal, leading to a separate case of cheating against him and two clerks at Wanowrie police station.
After receiving specific intelligence about his whereabouts, a police team led by Assistant Police Inspector Snehal Thorat arrested Jagatap from Andhra Pradesh. He was produced before a Pune court on Monday, which remanded him to police custody till February 11.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Milind Mohite said that Jagatap had been absconding for the past four to five months despite active search operations, and his custodial interrogation is necessary to probe the financial trail and related offences.
