Gang made fake documents, used them to purchase luxury goods

The Vashi police have busted a huge racket that was involved in submitting fake documents for purchasing goods from the stores in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. A total of five people have been arrested in the past two weeks.

According to the police, the gang would take random people’s information using internet and then make fake documents such as driving licence, PAN cards, bank passbooks among others. They would then use those documents to purchase luxury goods such as iPhones, laptops on an equated monthly instalment (EMI) basis.

“The gang has purchase several mobile phones from a store in Vashi in December last year. The owner of the store realised that he had been cheated when the EMIs were not debited from their bank accounts,” said Shahaji Umap, deputy commissioner of police (zone 1).

“He t hen verified t heir address proofs and found those to be fake. He then approached us and registered an FIR,” Umap added.

The police ar rested t wo Madhukar Raste, 35, and Ganesh Shevale, 34, on April 2. Based on the details given by them, the police arrested three more people on Monday. They are Ganesh

Jadhav, 35, Dinesh Shetty, 38, and Sunil Pote, 41. “We have recovered 30 fake PAN cards, eight fake voter identity cards, eight fake driving licences, nine fake passbooks, one scanner, one printer and two laptops from their possession. We are also trying to find out if they had taken personal and home loans using the same modus operandi,” said Ajaykumar Landge, senior police inspector from Vashi police station.

“The gang has confessed to over 100 crimes they committed in the areas like Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai in the past couple of months. One members of the gang is still absconding and we hope to arrest him soon,” he added.

We have recovered 30 fake PAN cards, eight fake voter identity cards, eight fake driving licences, nine fake passbooks, one scanner, one printer and two laptops from them. AJAYKUMAR LANDGE, senior police inspector

BACHCHAN KUMAR Police officers display the fake documents such as driving licences and PAN cards seized from the five accused.