Man posing as Fadnavis's OSD held for cheating Akola contractor of Rs 3.25 crore in Mumbai

A case of cheating a contractor of Rs 3.25 crore has come to light in Mumbai. The accused allegedly took the money by claiming to be Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Marine Drive police have arrested Asif Ismail Pathan, 40, a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, in the case.

According to the information, the accused had assured the contractor that he would get the contractor's stuck PWD bills worth Rs 50 crore cleared. He allegedly collected Rs 3.25 crore as commission for getting the bills approved.

Police said that even after taking this amount, the accused kept demanding a further Rs 75 lakh. The contractor then grew suspicious. Ranjitsingh Oberoi, a contractor with Oberoi Construction in Akola, subsequently filed a complaint with the police.

After the complaint, Oberoi was called to Mumbai on September 10, where Rs 1.25 crore was taken through an alleged associate of the accused. The accused is said to have presented himself throughout as a senior official at Mantralaya.

On September 30, Oberoi went to Mantralaya to make inquiries. He found that the man was not a government official at all. This is how the whole matter came out.

Police stepped up the investigation and arrested Asif Ismail Pathan. He was produced in court, which sent him to police custody until November 6. Police are continuing to investigate the case.

Police are searching for the accused's other associates. They are also trying to seize the extorted money and the vehicle used in the crime. Police suspect other contractors may have been cheated in the same manner, and the investigation is also proceeding in that direction.