Pune Crime: Retired RBI Manager Duped By Fake Cops In Karvenagar; Gold Chain & Ring Replaced With Stones

Two unidentified men posing as police officers allegedly cheated a 70-year-old retired Reserve Bank of India (RBI) manager in Pune's Karvenagar area and escaped with his gold ornaments worth several lakhs, officials said on Thursday.

According to the complaint lodged with the Warje Malwadi Police, the incident took place around 9.15am on May 3 near the PMP bus stop at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk in Karvenagar.

According to the police, the complainant, a retired RBI manager, had arrived at the spot on his two-wheeler to purchase fish when two men dressed like policemen approached him. One of them was wearing a helmet. The duo allegedly questioned him repeatedly about his driving licence and claimed that they belonged to the police department.

During the conversation, the accused reportedly stopped two other people and pretended to check their licences as well, creating an impression that they were genuine police personnel.

After noticing the senior citizen’s gold chain and ring, one of the fake cops warned him against wearing jewellery in public, claiming that a chain-snatching incident had just occurred in the area. They then advised him to remove the ornaments and keep them safely in his pocket.

One of the accused handed him a piece of paper and offered to wrap the jewellery securely. Trusting them, the victim removed his one-and-a-half tola gold chain and a 7-gram gold ring and handed them over. The accused wrapped the items in paper and returned the packet to him.

The complainant kept the packet in his trouser pocket and left the spot. However, after travelling some distance, he became suspicious and opened the packet, only to discover that the gold ornaments had been replaced with four small stones.

He immediately returned to the area and searched for the suspects, but they had already fled.

A case has been registered at Warje Malwadi Police Station. Police are searching for the accused, and further investigation is underway.