Man held for forging papers to acquire post-paid SIM card

The accused identified as Sagar Gund (23), a resident of Loni Kalbhor, got hold of complainant Vijay Parkhi's documents from his marketing company's office, which is a franchisee of a leading telecom company.

Cruel intentions: Sagar Gund got hold of the complainant's documents from his marketing company's office, which is a franchisee of a leading telecom company. Pic/Krunal Gosavi

According to the police, the fraud came to light after MSEDCL junior engineer Parkhi received a mobile bill on January 11. "I received a mobile bill for a number which I never subscribed to. The bill had my name and address. So I called the number and inquired with the person who answered the call. I was shocked after he introduced himself as Vijay Parkhi. I went ahead and asked him his address, and he surprisingly stated my residential address," said Parkhi.

"Two months ago, a marketing executive named Pradip had come to my office in Deccan Gymkhana, and told me that I can take two additional SIM cards in the same plan and sought my ID and address proof," said Parkhi. Parkhi proceeded to give him his identification card, a utility bill photocopy for address verification and two photographs. The executive gave him two SIM cards and told him they would be activated within three working days.

"The cards did not get activated after 10 days, and I telephoned Pradip to inquire. He told me that he would check and see why the cards did not get activated," said Parkhi. He added that after four days Pradip called him and informed that both the forms have been rejected on the grounds that the address provided in the application forms were incomplete.

Parkhi then approached the Deccan Gymkhana police, and lodged a complaint against the fraudster on January 12. After receiving the complaint, police arrested Gund after tracing him through his mobile number. Police booked him under cheating and forgery charges. "During interrogation, Gund spilled the beans and said that he came across a file containing documents of Parkhi and decided to use it, as he wanted to get the special plan which was meant for MSEDCL employees," said PI Manohar Joshi of Deccan Gymkhana. u00a0 u00a0u00a0