9 held for issuing bogus toll receipts at Khed-Shivapur plaza

The Rajgad police on Thursday arrested nine people for issuing bogus toll receipts to commuters passing through the Khed-Shivapur toll plaza on the Pune-Satara highway.

The police have seized 30 receipts totalling ₹5,700, two mobiles, computers and two printers used to prepare bogus receipts.

The arrested accused have been identified as Sudesh Prakash Gangawane, Akshay Tanaji Sanas, Shubham Sitaram Dolare, Sai Laduram Sutar, Hemant Bhate, Dada Dalvi, Satish Margaje, Sanket Jaiwant Gaikwad and Ajay Kashinath Chavan.

A complaint in the matter was lodged by commuter Abhijit Babar.

Babar in his complaint stated that he was on his way to Satara on February 16 when the toll booth employees charged him ₹190 and on February 20 while returning he was charged ₹130 by issuing bogus receipts.

The complainant along with police staff went to the concerned toll booth and verified the authenticity of the receipt and it was found that the receipts were bogus.

Police inspector Sandeep Ghorpade of Rajgad police station, said, “A case under cheating and forgery has been registered and nine people are arrested. Prima facie it is a case of issuing bogus receipts.”

Mauli Darwatkar of Khed Shivapur Toll Naka Hatao Committee, said, “This is a serious issue and both the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the private contractor handling the toll are completely negligent towards this issue. There is a need to conduct an audit so that the facts of the case are brought to light.”

Suhas Chitnis, director, NHAI, said, “I am not aware of the issue. Speak to Amit Bhatia, head, Reliance Infrastructure -Pune Satara highway- regional (western region). ”

“We are not aware of such an incident. We have an internal system to investigate this type of malpractices,” said Bhatia.

Pune rural SP Abhinav Deshmukh ordered the local crime branch to take action.

The police have lodged an offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 467, 468, 420 and Section 47.