'Special 26' Inspired Man Poses As Fake MPCB Officer, Arrested For Extorting ₹10,000 From Mumbai Factory Owner
Mumbai: The Vanrai police have arrested a 29-year-old unemployed man from Badlapur for allegedly impersonating an officer of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and extorting money from a factory owner. The accused has been identified as Swaraj Ghosalkar, who allegedly used the name Sachin Mahadik while posing as an MPCB field officer. He allegedly threatened factory owners with arrest…
Mumbai police have detained a 29-year-old man named Swaraj Ghosalkar for allegedly posing as a Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) officer and extorting ₹10,000 from a factory owner, Shailesh Povale. Ghosalkar used the name Sachin Mahadik during his impersonation. He allegedly threatened Povale with arrest for not complying with pollution control regulations.
Povale's accountant, Vijay Mandavkar, informed him that an MPCB officer wanted to meet Povale's company. When Povale questioned the officer about a previous visit, the impersonator claimed that a different field officer, Vikram Mane, conducted inspections, but he and his team were now handling the visits. Ghosalkar demanded money and threatened to file a false report against Povale's company for causing pollution.
Povale alerted the police, who arrested Ghosalkar on August 26. The police are investigating whether he has extorted money from other factory owners.
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