2 callers impersonate Sharad Pawar, police nab one suspect

Mumbai: In a bizarre development, two persons allegedly impersonated Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar in two different incidents in Mumbai and Pune, sending shockwaves in the political circles on Thursday.

Separate complaints were lodged with the Chakan Police in Pune and the Gamdevi Police in Mumbai, leading to the detention of one suspect. Further investigations are underway.

In both instances, the callers made calls from a number purportedly belonging to Pawar's residence -- Silver Oaks in south Mumbai -- and 'spoke' in his voice.

In the first instance, a call was made to a senior bureaucrat in the Mantralaya seeking some official favour, with the caller claiming to be calling from the home of Pawar.

The alert officer, smelling something fishy, called back Silver Oaks to verify the call, only to discover that the 81-year old leader was even not present at home.

Thereafter, a complaint was lodged with the Gamdevi Police, who are investigating the matter after detaining one suspect from Pune.

In the Pune incident, the caller imitating Pawar's voice allegedly made some demands pertaining to an old business deal, but the other party smelt a rat and lodged a police complaint.

However, the exact nature of the conversations in both the incidents is not clear yet.

Senior NCP leaders like Jitendra Awhad, Mahesh Tapase, besides opposition leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar have expressed shock over the incidents, raising security and other implications.

They have demanded that the police should track the culprits and take stringent action against them for impersonating one of the senior-most political leaders in the country.