Real Estate Scam in Hinjawadi: Man Duped with Counterfeit Notes in Rs 7.5 Lakh Deal
Reported by Varad Bhatkhande
Hinjawadi, 3rd July 2025: A real estate deal in Pune’s Hinjawadi ended in deception after a man was duped with counterfeit notes disguised as real currency. The classic trick involved sandwiching fake currency between genuine notes to complete a Rs 7.5 lakh land deal. Hinjawadi Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the fraud, which took place on 1st July near Mezza 9 Restaurant in Phase 1.
Prakash Adhav (29, resident of Bavdhan) filed a complaint at Hinjawadi Police Station. Following the complaint, police arrested Chetan Ingale (26), Prakash Ingale (both from Jalgaon), and Akash Dandge (28, resident of Marunji). A case has been registered under BNS Section 318(4) (cheating) and 3(5) (common intention).
According to police sources, Adhav intended to sell a small plot of land in Hinjawadi. Accused Prakash Ingale agreed to purchase it for Rs 7.5 lakh. The currency he provided was counterfeit, with “Children Bank of India” printed instead of “Reserve Bank of India” seen on genuine notes. His associates, Chetan and Akash, posed as delivery agents and handed over the cash. They cleverly placed real notes on the top and bottom of each bundle to disguise the fakes within.
Initially, the ruse worked, but as Adhav began counting the money, he noticed discrepancies and promptly reported the matter to the Hinjawadi Police Station. Chetan and Akash were arrested on Wednesday, while Prakash was nabbed in Jalgaon on Thursday. The court has remanded all three accused to police custody until 5th July. Assistant Police Inspector Somnath Panchal is leading the investigation.
Throwback to Phir Hera Pheri
The incident mirrors a memorable scene from the cult comedy Phir Hera Pheri, featuring Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty. In the film, a scam involving bundles of fake currency—bearing Bollywood faces instead of Mahatma Gandhi’s, is cleverly masked by real notes on the top and bottom, much like the current case.
Similar Case in Pimpri-Chinchwad
In a similar incident on 30th June, a man named Dheeraj Rathod passed off six fake Rs 500 notes, amounting to Rs 3,000, during a Rs 4 lakh transaction at Sachin Jewellers in Nigdi Pradhikaran. Shop owner Shirish Deshmukh (41, resident of Ravet) filed a complaint with the Nigdi Police Station. Unlike the Hinjawadi case, the fraud here was subtler, involving only a few fake notes in a high-value transaction. Nigdi Police are currently investigating the matter further.
