Conman dupes 20 of 4 crore

PUNE: The interrogation of conman Vishal Pandurang Ombale (38) from Yerawada, arrested on November 17 for allegedly impersonating as senior government official and using a car with a red beacon, has revealed that he duped more than 20 people the tune of over Rs 4.16 crores, the crime branch of the Pune police said on Monday.
Ombale travelling in a car was arrested in Koregaon Park following a tip-off received by police havaldar Shailesh Jagtap.A search conducted on his car led to the recovery of a pistol, revolver, 50 (fake) rounds and a fake identity card saying that he was a member of a central advisory committee under the ministry of labour and employment.
Six complaints of impersonation, cheating, forgery and extortion have been registered against Ombale with the Cantonment, Bundgarden, Koregaon Park, Khadak, Swargate and Chakan police stations since November 17.
Police have recovered four cars, Rs 30,000 and 10 tolas of gold ornaments, together worth Rs 52.53 lakh from Ombale. He is in police custody till November 25.
The conman said he had spent around Rs 20 lakh on dance bars, made advance payment of Rs 16 lakh for purchasing cars, bought gold ornaments of Rs 6 lakh, Rs 50 lakhs on hotels, Rs 60 lakh on mother's cancer treatment, paid fees of Rs 8 lakh for his children, Rs 18 lakh on renovating his house, nearly Rs 30 lakh on renovating his office, Rs 28 lakh on the services of security guards and bouncers, given a loan of Rs 1.46 crore to friends, flight expenses of around Rs 12 lakh and purchasing costly items of Rs 3 lakh.
Ombale did small time jobs at hotels in Wagholi and Kothrud for eight years. He also worked as a hotel manager. A visit to a bank for a loan gave him the idea of duping people for quick money. Ombale then forged documents to show that he was a government official. He purchased a car and installed a red beacon and started moving around for cheating people in Pune, Mumbai and Thane.
Deputy commissioner of police (crime) P R Patil said investigations in the six cases registered have revealed that Ombale on pretext of providing government loans and flats from government quota deceived 15 people in Pune and collected Rs 2.10 crore from them as commission in three years. People can contact senior inspector Satish Nikam (Unit II) of crime branch on cell number 9158445555 if Ombale has duped them.