Man Impersonates Ajit Pawar’s OSD, Dupes Victims of ₹20 Lakh; Arrested by Malabar Hill Police

The Malabar Hill police have arrested a man accused of impersonating Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and defrauding individuals by forging his signature.

The accused, identified as Pravin Sathe (42), allegedly posed as a high-ranking government officer and collected lakhs of rupees under false pretenses.

According to police sources, the accused presented himself as Ajit Pawar’s OSD and forged official documents with the Deputy CM’s signature to gain the trust of his victims. After receiving a complaint on Saturday, the police registered an FIR on Sunday morning and arrested Sathe. He was subsequently produced in court, which remanded him to police custody.

The investigation began when Atul Shitole filed a complaint stating that Sathe had taken Rs 10 lakh from him, promising to expedite government-related work. When the promised work was not completed, Shitole grew suspicious and confronted the accused. Sathe then showed an appointment letter during a video call, claiming it was proof of his role as Ajit Pawar’s OSD.

However, Shitole noticed discrepancies in the document and captured a screenshot of it as evidence. Shitole also revealed that another individual, identified as Bode, was similarly duped of Rs 10 lakh by the accused. Both victims approached the Malabar Hill police, leading to an investigation and Sathe’s arrest.

The police are now probing the extent of Sathe’s fraudulent activities, including identifying other potential victims and determining how he managed to forge official signatures. Authorities are also examining the fake documents and his modus operandi to uncover further details. “The investigation is ongoing, and we are working to determine how many people have fallen prey to the accused’s schemes,” said a senior police officer from the Malabar Hill police station.​