Couple lies about son's 'illness' for free food, enjoy New Year in city

Vijay Bhosale with his wife and child

A couple from Lonavala who had try to wheedle free food and accommodation from kind-hearted Mumbaikars while claiming they were in the city for their ailing child, were given a stern warning by the city police.

A source said the couple approached RSS members at Savitribai Phule Garden on Link Road, Mahavir Nagar, Kandivli West on Thursday morning. "The couple asked for the address of one Wamanrao Pai's ashram as they needed accommodation. They told us that their child had a hole in his heart and they were in the city for his treatment. They only needed free accommodation and food during their stay here," said Amrut Solanki, an RSS worker.

"We tried to find the address of the ashram but could not get through. So on humanitarian grounds, we offered them breakfast and contacted a few people in our network to help them in Mumbai. We contacted Nana Palkar Seva Samiti in Parel and requested them to help the couple. Nana Palkar Seva Samiti provides accommodation for people coming to the city for medical treatment," Solanki said.

Vijay Bhosale's voter ID card that he finally handed over to the cops

"Nana Palkar Seva Samiti agreed to help them, but needed medical papers of the 'ailing' child. The Samiti also wanted to address proof and a recommendation letter from the couple, but they could not furnish any of the documents. We became suspicious and started quizzing the couple. We asked for residence proof and identity card to authenticate their claims and finally called the police emergency number. A team from Kandivli police hauled the couple to the police station," he added.

The cops demanded the contact number and family details from the couple. "The man, Vijay Bhosale, finally gave us his voter ID card and contact number of his sister who lives in Ajanuj village in Khandala. She told us that her brother is an alcoholic who regularly fools people to collect cash for liquor," said the police.

"Bhosale had demanded money from his relatives, who refused to give him a penny, but somehow he managed to reach Mumbai to watch the New Year celebrations and had been trying to fool people into giving him and his family free shelter and food," the police added. The cops have taken biometric and contact details of the couple and have warned them to not repeat their tricks as 'they will be booked' under relevant sections of the IPC.

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