Pune Court Orders Banks to Transfer ₹57.59 Lakh to Fraud Victim in ₹14 Crore Black Magic Scam

A significant ruling has been made in a high-profile black magic fraud case in Pune, where the court has directed five banks and an insurance company to transfer a substantial amount of money to the victim. The complainant, Deepak Pundlikrao Dolas, had approached the police alleging that he and his family were cheated by a self-styled spiritual healer and her associates, leading to a loss of around ₹14 crore.

The order was passed on February 27 by Additional Sessions Judge PR Choudhary, and it was uploaded on March 2. The complainant, Deepak Pundlikrao Dolas of Woodland Society near Gandhi Bhavan in Kothrud, filed a criminal miscellaneous application in connection with the FIR registered at Kothrud Police Station.

The case revolves around allegations that Dolas and his wife were persuaded by the accused to sell several properties, including their house in England and other assets, and transfer money on the promise that spiritual rituals would cure their two daughters’ serious health conditions. The couple allegedly transferred about ₹14 crore over several years before realizing they had been cheated.

The application was filed against accused Vedika Kunal Pandharpurkar, Kunal Vaijnath Pandharpurkar, and Deepak Janardan Khadke. The FIR was registered under Sections 318(4), 316(5), and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 3(2) of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, and Section 91 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.

During the hearing of the application, the court sought responses from the accused. The order recorded that the accused filed written statements stating they had no objection to the accounts, fixed deposits, and insurance policies being defrozen and the amount transferred to the applicant. Their advocate also conveyed the no-objection before the court.

After hearing advocate Vijaysingh Thombare for the applicant, advocate Rahul Deshmukh for the accused, and the additional public prosecutor representing the state, the court allowed the application. In its order, the court directed the banks to transfer the specified balances along with any applicable interest from the accounts of the accused and related entities to Dolas’ account.

Meanwhile, the criminal case registered at Kothrud Police Station is still pending. This ruling is a significant step towards justice for the victim and could set a precedent for similar cases in the future.