Mumbai: The Vikhroli police have registered two separate FIRs against Kailas Chokha Kirtane, 43, a resident of Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, and Yogesh Jagannath Patankar, 50, a resident of Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, for allegedly duping two individuals of a total of Rs 75.5 lakh by promising them government jobs and low-cost housing under a state scheme.
Case 1: Rs 45.5 Lakh Lost to Fake Jobs
In the first case, the complainant Dilip Babu Hoval, 62, a retired employee of Godrej Company and a resident of Tagore Nagar, Group No. 5, Vikhroli (East), was allegedly defrauded of Rs 45.5 lakh.
According to the police, Hoval met Kirtane in 2018 during his service in the Godrej medical department. In 2019, Kirtane introduced Hoval to his friend Patankar, claiming he was a secretary to a minister in Mantralaya and could secure government jobs in the PWD department for clerical and peon posts.
The cost, they claimed, would be Rs 6 lakh for a clerk post and Rs 4.5 lakh for a peon post. Kirtane took Hoval to meet Patankar at Mantralaya in January 2019. Patankar showed Hoval several unidentified individuals, claiming he had helped them secure government jobs, thereby gaining Hoval's trust.
Believing the offer to be genuine, Hoval paid Rs 12 lakh for jobs for his wife Sulochana and son Akash (Rs 5.5 lakh in cash and Rs 6.5 lakh by cheque). Later, his family paid an additional Rs 33.5 lakh for job placements of five other relatives, including nieces and nephews, in various positions in the PWD department. However, none of them received the promised jobs.
When Hoval’s family demanded their money back, Kirtane and Patankar allegedly abused them and threatened them with violence, saying, “Do whatever you want, you won’t get the money back.”
Case 2: Rs 30 Lakh Lost on Fake MHADA Flat Scheme
In the second case, the victim Jitendra Tukaram Thokale, 53, an ONGC employee residing in Kannamwar Nagar 2, Vikhroli (East), was allegedly cheated out of Rs 30 lakh.
According to the FIR, Thokale’s elder sister is a cancer patient. While visiting a medical facility for her treatment in 2022, he came in contact with Kirtane and later developed a friendship.
In January 2023, Kirtane introduced Thokale to Patankar, once again falsely claiming he was Deputy Secretary at the Deputy Chief Minister’s Office. The duo allegedly told Thokale that under a Maharashtra government scheme, cancer patients could get MHADA flats at subsidized rates.
Trusting their words, Thokale paid them Rs 30 lakh by August 2023 in the hope of securing a home for his sister. However, the promised house was never delivered. When he asked for a refund, the accused allegedly threatened him.
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Police Action
The Vikhroli police have registered two separate FIRs under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Act, including cheating, criminal intimidation, and criminal breach of trust. Further investigation is underway.
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