A 32-year-old man acting as a fake ticket checker was arrested by the Government Railway police of Kalyan for cheating a passenger. The accused pretending to be TC ask the passenger for a ticket and later for an antigen test report. The victim suspected something suspicious and informed the police who further arrested him.
The police said the arrested accused Ashish Sonwane, 32, a Kalyan resident is a history sheeter having more than seven cases of theft against him. After lockdown as less people come on the road he started deceiving people at the railway station, which is busy these days with passengers confused over the Covid-19 report and antigen test.
The incident of cheating took place on Tuesday, when the complainant Kumar Shivaji Jadhav, 22, along with his family was traveling to Parbhani district in Maharashtra. Jadhav along with his family was boarding an express train at platform number 4 on Kalyan railway station. "He was approached by a ticket checker. The fake TC asked for a ticket and Jadhav showed him the ticket. Later, Jadhav was asked for an antigen test report of his wife. Jadhav didn't have the report, so the TC asked him to pay a fine. Jadhav, who was suspicious, approached the police at the railway station. The Government Railway police and Railway police force caught Sonawane and interrogated him. We found him to be fake and started investigating him," said a police officer.
The Government Railway police of Kalyan arrested Sonawane and registered a case against Sonawane under section 419, 170, 188, 269 and 270 of the Indian penal code, relevant section of the disaster management act, 2005, section of the epidemic act and sections of the railway act. "We have arrested the accused on Tuesday. He was produced in court on Wednesday and remanded in police custody for one day," said Shardul Valmik, senior police inspector, GRP, Kalyan.
The accused is a history sheeter having around seven cases including robbery, theft and arms act among others. "After, lockdown was imposed he took the job of a fake ticket checker. We are checking how many people he has cheated in the past. He was using the identity card of his friend who works with Rukmani Bai, a civic hospital in Kalyan, to get out during the lockdown," said a police officer.
The Kalyan GRP had arrested three fake ticket checkers in the last one month. Commuters traveling to the outstation should verify the TC before showing him the details related to ticket and medical report.
