Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad police have arrested four members of a family on the charge of duping at least 22 people from the Maan and Hinjewadi areas of a collective Rs5 crore. The accused allegedly promised 5-6% returns on investments in a chit fund as well as in the stock market.The accused, identified as Ramesh Aherkar, his wife Pooja, and sons Vedant and Aditya, all residents of Maan near Hinjewadi, collected money from people through their three firms between May 2023 and March 2026. When the victims started demanding their money back, the accused allegedly locked their house and fled.TOI had reported in March that Hinjewadi police were searching for the four family members, who had locked up their properties and were on the run.A 59-year-old lawyer had lodged a complaint with the Hinjewadi police on March 7, following which the police registered a case under sections 112 (petty organised crimes), 316 (criminal breach of trust), and 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant sections of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (In Financial Establishments) or MPID Act.The case was later transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Pimpri Chinchwad police. A police team led by assistant police inspector Yuvraj Kalkutage arrested the accused from Nevasa in Ahilyanagar district. The accused were produced before a court and remanded in police custody till June 22.According to the complainant, he had known Aherkar since 2008. In 2020, the Aherkar family started three firms and began collecting money from people by promising good returns on investments in their chit fund and the share market.“The complainant said the accused lured him with the promise of handsome returns and started taking money from him. Between 2023 and 2025, the complainant transferred Rs57 lakh to the bank accounts of Aherkar and his sons,” a police officer said.The officer added that the accused had given the complainant three post-dated cheques as security, which later bounced. The family also collected money from other investors and duped them. They continued accepting money from people until March this year before fleeing, he added.API Kalkutage told TOI that so far, 22 victims have approached the police, and their collective loss is Rs5 crore. “Prima facie, the investigation has revealed that the family has duped at least 40 people from the Hinjewadi and Maan areas. We are appealing to them to come forward to the police,” Kalkutage added.He said the police have frozen 11 bank accounts belonging to the accused. “We are examining these accounts,” he said.Pimpri Chinchwad police commissioner (CP) Vinoy Kumar Choubey has appealed to the public to avoid investing money in schemes that promise high profits in a short period, including illegal chit funds and unauthorised stock market schemes.
