Nagpur coal trader alleges Rs 22.5 lakh fraud; case against two Pune businessmen

A case of fraud involving lakhs of rupees has come to light against two Pune businessmen, on the complaint of a Nagpur coal trader. It is alleged that the accused, who claimed to run a cement brick factory, took about 300 metric tonnes of coal and did not pay Rs 22,50,736 after the goods were delivered. Nandanvan police have registered a case of cheating against Saurabh Ramesh Padwal and Shubham Padwal, managing directors of the Infitech Group and the Assure Group, based in Chinchwad, Pune.

According to the police, complainant Vishal Sugandh lives in Purana Bagadganj, Shastri Nagar. He runs a firm called Pathik Coal Corporation. He buys coal through government auctions and sells it to various industrial units.

In February 2025, the accused contacted Sugandh by phone. They said they had a cement brick factory in Pune and needed coal in large quantities. They then came to his office in Nagpur and inspected the quality of the coal. They assured him of regular business and timely payment, which led the trader to trust them.

Between March 30, 2025 and June 13, 2025, the accused bought a total of 300 metric tonnes of coal in several consignments. The total value of the coal is stated to be Rs 22,50,736. Business initially went on normally, but once the entire consignment had been delivered, the accused began to stall on payment.

When Sugandh repeatedly asked for the dues, the accused kept putting him off. After some time they stopped taking his calls. On one occasion when they spoke, Shubham Padwal allegedly refused outright to pay.

To find out the truth, Sugandh went to the address in Pune that the accused had given. He found that the place described as the accused's office was occupied by someone else's office. Feeling cheated, he lodged a complaint at Nandanvan police station. On the basis of the complaint, police have registered a case against both accused and begun an investigation.