Pune Crime: Youth Booked For Creating Fake PMPML App, Using Forged Daily Bus Passes

A 24-year-old youth has been booked by the Bharati Vidyapeeth Police Station for allegedly creating a fake mobile application resembling the official app of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) and using it to generate forged daily bus passes. The youth has been booked by the police on charges of cheating in connection with public transport.

The incident came to light on February 26 at around 10:30 am at the Bharati Vidyapeeth BRT bus stop.

The accused has been identified as Kaustubh Shailesh Manjrekar (24), a resident of Pritam Heights, Balajinagar.

According to police, the accused, Manjrekar, who is employed with a company, was travelling on a PMPML bus towards the Bharati Vidyapeeth main bus stop.

During the inspection, Manjrekar showed a daily pass on his mobile phone to the checking staff member, Mitthu Sahebrao Bade (45).

The pass appeared suspicious to Bade, who then contacted the PMPML office for verification. Upon verification, it was found that the pass was fake.

Police investigation revealed that the accused had developed a bogus mobile application that closely resembled the original PMPML app. Through this fake app, he allegedly generated a forged daily pass worth Rs 70 and used it to pose as an authorised pass holder. By travelling across Pune city using the fabricated pass, he is suspected of having caused financial loss to PMPML.

In this matter, a case has been registered against him by PMPML officials at the Bharati Vidyapeeth Police Station.

Senior Police Inspector Rahul Khilare, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said the accused has been booked, and technical accessories such as a laptop, mobile phone and other devices have been seized. “After a detailed technical analysis, it will be ascertained how and when the app was built and for how long it was being used. Additionally, it will also be verified whether there are any other users of such an app,” he said.

The matter is under investigation, and further action will be taken accordingly, he added.