Promised ₹1 Lakh Monthly Rent For Purandar Airport Work, Then Sold Their JCBs: Pune Gang Dupes Farmers Of ₹77 Lakh

A shocking incident has come to light in the Saswad area, where farmers were defrauded, and JCB machines and tractors were stolen under the pretext of the Purandar airport project. The Supa police have busted this gang and successfully recovered property worth a staggering 77 lakh rupees. In this case, the Supa police have arrested the accused Nilesh Thorat.

According to the information that has come to light, it has been revealed that the accused took JCB machines on rent from farmers in Nanded and Dharashiv districts, claiming they would be used for the construction work of the new airport in Saswad, and then sold the vehicles after signing a contract. 

Ajay Santosh Chavan (resident of Sartale, Satara district), Dinesh Bhaurao More (resident of Naigaon, Nanded district), Nilesh Anna Thorat (resident of Morgaon, Baramati taluka), and Tushar Shahaji Shinde (resident of Yedshi, Dharashiv district) have been found to be involved in this crime.

Based on the complaint filed by farmer Balaji Govindrao Gadewad, a case has been registered at the Supa Police Station under Crime Register No. 1/2026, under sections 338, 336, 398(4), and 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code. 

The investigation revealed that the accused created fake documents in the name of B.G. Construction Company and entered into agreements with the farmers on hundred-rupee stamp papers. They lured the farmers with the promise of a monthly rent of one lakh rupees, took possession of the JCBs, and then sold them illegally.

3 Tractors, 2 JCBs seized

During the investigation, 3 JCBs from Nanded, 2 tractors from Dharashiv, and one tractor from a case registered at Kalamb Police Station, totalling 3 JCBs and 2 tractors (worth approximately 77 lakh rupees), were recovered from the accused Nilesh Thorat, and he has been arrested and remanded to police custody.

While in police custody, the accused also confessed to selling tractors to farmers in Mandavgan Pharata (Shirur taluka) by falsely claiming that the tractors belonged to a finance company. For this successful operation, Assistant Police Inspector Manojkumar Navsare, Police Sub-Inspector Jinesh Koli, along with officers and staff of Supa Police Station, are hailed as they carried out this remarkable investigation.