Pune Municipal Corporation Recruitment Scam: Doctor Arrested, Sent To Police Custody

Pune: Shivajinagar police have arrested Dr Rajendra Babanrao Khedekar in connection with an alleged recruitment scam involving the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), in which educated unemployed candidates were allegedly cheated with promises of government jobs. A Pune court has remanded Khedekar to five days of police custody until October 3.

According to the police, more than 14 candidates were allegedly given fake appointment letters and cheated of nearly Rs2.75 crore. The suspect allegedly promised the victims jobs in various positions at the PMC in exchange for large sums of money.

Khedekar, a trustee of the Martand Devasthan in Jejuri, has been booked along with Shivajinagar-based PMC Education Department peon Shivanand Balasaheb Patil and other suspects. Cases have been registered at the Shivajinagar and Bharati Vidyapeeth police stations following complaints submitted by officials from the PMC's General Administration Department.

The alleged fraud reportedly took place between May 2022 and May 2025 at various locations, including PMC premises.

Police said Khedekar went absconding after the case was registered. He subsequently sought anticipatory bail from the Pune Sessions Court, but the application was rejected.

According to the information, the suspects acted in collusion and prepared fake PMC appointment letters using forged letterheads, official seals and signatures. Candidates were allegedly also provided fake identity cards, service books and salary slips to make the appointments appear genuine.

Senior Police Inspector Girish Dighavkar said the court granted five days of police custody considering the scope of the investigation. Police are now probing the financial transactions and the involvement of other individuals in the alleged scam.