Pimpri-Chinchwad: Pimpri-Chinchwad Police have busted two call centres in the Hinjawadi area and have registered a case against 23 people for duping foreign citizens of their money, officials announced on Friday. The action was jointly taken by the Cyber Police Station and the Crime Branch Unit 2. Their victims were mostly citizens of the United States of America (USA).
In the first raid by the Cyber Police Station, Police Constable Dnyaneshwar Gawali filed a complaint at the Cyber Police Station. They have booked Sky High Solution Company owners Sagar Yadav (32), Anand Sinha (29), Sandesh Hawale (28), Vishal Chavan (27), Akash Yadav (29), Utkarsh Pawar (24), Suyash Kamble (23), Abu Sutar (23), Puja Kumbhar (25), and Shital Rai (32). Charges include BNS sections 318 (cheating), 3(5) (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), and relevant sections of the IT Act of 2000. Sagar Yadav and Anand Sinha have been arrested.
In the second raid by Unit 2, Police Constable Prashant Syed filed a complaint at the Cyber Police Station. In this, police have booked Tech Law Solution owner Dhananjay Kasar (25), Harshad Khamkar (28), Mangesh Swami (27), Vijay Bodhale (24), Piyush Patekar (20), Prajwal Shinde (24), Vikas Korvi (24), Saprem Jagtap (24), Kiran Dive (31), Ankita Shembhekar (24), Shivani Shelar (28), Vinod Sonkar (27) and Kalyani Musale (27). Charges include the same as in the previous case. Dhananjay Kasar and Harshad Khamkar have been detained.
DCP (Crime) Dr Shivaji Pawar said, “Commissioner of Police Vinoy Kumar Choubey received a tip-off about two call centres illegally operating in the Hinjawadi area. Two teams were created, and simultaneous raids were conducted. These teams verified the information received and conducted action.”
Both actions were conducted under the guidance of senior police officials by the teams led by Senior Police Inspectors Ravikiran Nale (in charge of Cyber Police Station) and Ankush Pawar (in charge of Crime Branch Unit 2). Police suspect the cumulative fraud may run into several crores. Both call centres operated out of rented commercial spaces in Hinjawadi Phase 2.
Scams Run by Sky High Solution
The employees and owners of the company colluded with each other and used to target US citizens. They used to claim that they were speaking from the Medical Health Department of the state. Taking advantage of the USA's lack of universal health coverage, an expensive and complicated system, they used to instil fear in the minds of US citizens, saying how normal day-to-day used things like talcum powder can result in serious diseases like cancer and lymphoma.
They used to tell people that these companies that provide your day-to-day usage things are duping you by not telling their full implications. They said the medical department of the state is taking these companies to court. They used to ask $300 (around INR 26,000) to get registered as a plaintiff and then claim huge compensations from these companies in the future.
Police also said this company used to call the citizens and claim to be from Community Choice Finance and claimed to be financial experts. They offered loans and demanded their bank details. After that, they told them their credit score was too low for the loan they wanted and asked them to pay more money to improve it. They have defrauded many citizens, and police are still investigating the exact amount they have duped.
Scandal by Tech Law Solutions
Using fake identities and pseudonyms, they used to call USA citizens too and used to claim they were calling from the American Medical Health Centre. They used to say, Ask what products they use in their day-to-day life. After taking the lists, they used to ask about any side effects of these products, and if there were, they used to ask the victims to share the details and proof of it.
After that, they used to provide ‘consultation' to those citizens and take money for it. They also sent them fake forms related to the law to file and told them their complaint had been registered. Exactly how much they used to demand and how many people they have duped is being investigated by the police.
Both cases are being investigated by PI Ravikiran Nale.
Why Did a "Developed Country" Like the US Fall for This Scam?
Several ongoing trends in the USA have made scams like these seem believable to many American citizens. In recent years, the country has seen a surge in high-profile mass-tort litigation -- especially involving everyday consumer products. This includes talcum powder, cosmetics, and household chemicals. Companies like Johnson & Johnson have faced tens of thousands of lawsuits over alleged cancer risk. Courts in the USA have issued billion-dollar verdicts, and states are negotiating major settlements. These cases are widely covered in the media, which has increased public awareness of product-related health dangers and the possibility of compensation through lawsuits.
Legal experts said that the U.S. healthcare system is expensive, confusing, and heavily linked with private companies. This has made people more susceptible to fear-based claims about hidden health risks. Because legal procedures like class-action enrolment are complex, many citizens don’t fully understand how genuine claims work. This creates space for fraudsters who present themselves as medical or legal authorities. When callers claim that “the medical department is suing companies” or that victims can “register” for future payouts, it aligns closely with real news, making the scam sound legitimate. Combined with anxiety about health and financial instability, these narratives make many Americans more likely to fall for such schemes.
