Pimpri-Chinchwad: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Crime Branch has arrested two men for allegedly targeting migrant workers employed in the Mahalunge MIDC area and robbing them by forcing online money transfers through stolen mobile phones.
The accused have been identified as Keshav Dashrath Shete (46), a resident of Pimpri Village, and Rajesh Anil Kumar (45), a resident of Tadiwala Road in Pune.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rohidas Pawar, the case came to light after four men riding two motorcycles intercepted a worker on Mahalunge-Talawade Road near the Mahindra company on July 26.
They allegedly snatched his mobile phone, unlocked it and transferred Rs 25,000 through a QR code to another mobile phone in their possession. A case was registered at South Mahalunge Police Station, while Crime Branch Unit II carried out a parallel investigation.
Police found that the mobile phone used to receive the Google Pay transfer had also been stolen. The accused later withdrew the money from different money transfer shops to avoid being traced through bank records.
Suspects Identified…
During the investigation, Police Sub-Inspector Mayuresh Salunkhe and Police Constable Prashant Said examined CCTV footage from the crime scene and the money transfer shops.
Based on the footage, the suspects were identified and arrested on August 3. During questioning, the duo allegedly confessed to committing the crimes with three other accomplices, who are yet to be arrested.
Police said the gang specifically targeted workers from other states. They allegedly watched for workers walking alone on Thursdays and Sundays, when many factories have weekly holidays, and then robbed them of cash or forced them to transfer money online.
Gang Used Same Methods…
Investigators said the gang used the same method in three robbery cases, including two in South Mahalunge MIDC and one in Bhosari MIDC.
Police have seized three mobile phones and a motorcycle from the accused.
Shete has 15 theft cases registered against him at Sangvi, Pimpri, Khadki and Sambhaji Nagar police stations. Rajesh has two criminal cases registered against him at Sangvi and Sambhaji Nagar police stations.
