A case was registered against Suresh Dhundale for allegedly deceiving a company out of Rs. 11.60 lakhs by impersonating an employee of ‘The Satish Kaushik Entertainment’ production house. The incident led to a complaint at Malvani police station on October 19.
Santosh Sahu, a long-time employee of ‘Stop Cine Digital Private Limited,’ a company that rents cameras for shooting, became a victim of this fraudulent scheme. ‘The Satish Kaushik Entertainment’ used to frequently rent cameras from ‘Stop Cine Digital’ before the pandemic, but their rentals ceased after the outbreak.
Timeline of the Deception
On October 15, at 10:00 a.m., Sahu received a call from someone claiming to be Suresh Dhundale, representing ‘The Satish Kaushik Entertainment.’ Dhundale inquired about a Sony lens, confirmed its availability, collected it, and issued a Bank of Baroda cheque for Rs. 19,824.
On October 18, at 10:30 a.m., Dhundale contacted Sahu again, requesting to rent a camera, lens, and other equipment for a one-month shoot at ‘The Satish Kaushik Entertainment.’
After providing lens details and an address, equipment was delivered to his residence in Kharodi Village, Marve Road, Malad West. Dhundale signed the receipt and received the equipment.
On October 21, Sahu discovered that the Rs. 19,824 cheque had bounced, raising suspicions. After contacting Dhundale, he promptly transferred the money back to ‘Stop Cine Digital,’ regaining Sahu’s trust. However, Sahu and Jacky Shah, the owner of ‘Stop Cine Digital,’ later discovered Dhundale’s history of cheating other companies by providing second-hand cameras and equipment.
A conversation with ‘The Satish Kaushik Entertainment’ production house confirmed that Dhundale had no affiliation with their company.
Accused Charged with Cheating Offenses
Subsequently, Sahu filed a case against Dhundale under sections 406 (breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), and 504 (provoking breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code.