Three arrested in Latur for duping people with fake gold biscuits

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The local crime branch has arrested three habitual offenders involved in duping people by posing as sellers of gold biscuits and stealing valuables from crowded places, with police seizing assets worth Rs 5.03 lakh and detecting eight offences across the district.

Superintendent of police Amol Tambe said the accused were nabbed after a tip-off that they were attempting to sell duplicate gold biscuits to unsuspecting buyers. “People should remain alert and avoid falling prey to offers made by strangers, especially schemes involving cheap gold or valuables,” he said.

The arrested have been identified as Babarao Suryakant Jadhav (30), Keshav Chhagan Jadhav (50) and Sandeep Dagdu Jadhav (29), all residents of Salgara village. Acting on specific information, a team led by inspector Sudhakar Bavkar and sub-inspevctor Pramod Deshmukh laid a trap near Vasan Gaon Pati on the Ausa-Latur road on Friday and detained the trio.

During the search, police recovered cash, gold ornaments and gold-coloured fake biscuits. The total seizure includes Rs 1.7 lakh in cash, 22g of gold jewellery valued at Rs 3.3 lakh, and fake gold biscuits.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to multiple cheating and theft offences. Investigators said they lured victims by offering “gold biscuits” and then decamped with mangalsutras and other ornaments.

During the probe, the team, led by probationary SDPO Akshay Jadhav, found that Sandeep Jadhav was wanted in several cheating cases registered at Udgir city, Ausa, Devni, Shivajinagar, Udgir and Chakur police stations.

Officials said the operation was carried out under the guidance of SP Tambe and additional SP Mangesh Chavan as part of an ongoing drive against property-related crimes.