The Ghatkopar police has arrested former spokesperson of Mumbai Dabbawala Association Subhash Talekar in connection with alleged loan fraud on Monday. Talekar was taken into custody from his village in Pune and brought to the city. Talekar along with the former secretary and a member of the association have been named as an accused in the case.
Confirming the arrest, Nitin Alaknure senior inspector of Ghatkopar police station said, “The accused was taken into custody from his village in Pune. He will be produced before the Vikhroli magistrate court on Tuesday."
In February 2020, an offence of cheating, criminal breach of trust and common intention was registered against Talekar, then secretary of the association Vitthal Sawant and Dashrath Kedari a member of the association along with three others for allegedly cheating 23 dabbawallas by promising them free motorcycles.
As per the First Information Report (FIR), during a meeting in 2015 the three accused promised free motorcycles for the dabbawallas to ease their commute while delivering lunch boxes. The dabbawallas signed papers for the same. However, when the dabbawallas started receiving notices from the bank, they realised that the loans had been procured on their names for the motorcycles. Although the amount was transferred to the company to provide the promised motorcycles, the 23 members did not receive any bike. There were some who received the mopeds without proper documentation.
