Pune: Kothrud Couple Duped of Rs 14.39 Crore; Accused Assure Court of Repayment Within a Month

Pune, 4th December 2025: A computer engineer from Kothrud and his wife were cheated of Rs 14.39 crore by fraudsters who promised to cure the medical condition of a young girl suffering from a severe disorder. The case took a significant turn when the accused assured a Pune court that they would return the full amount within a month if granted temporary bail, offering some relief to the complainants.

The accused — identified as Vedika Kunal Pandharpurkar (41), her husband Kunal Vaijnath Pandharpurkar (42), residents of Mahatma Society, Kothrud, and their associate Deepak Janardan Khadke (65), a resident of Vadivare in Nashik — were arrested by the Pune Police in connection with the cheating case. A separate case has also been registered at Kothrud police station against Vedika’s mother and brother for alleged involvement.

Fraud Money Spent on Properties and Luxury Purchases
According to police, the trio used the defrauded money to purchase property and vehicles. During the investigation, officials traced 13 out of 39 bank accounts linked to the accused, and evidence of large deposits was recovered.

A search at the accused’s residence resulted in the seizure of Rs 54 lakh in cash. Police also found that the accused had collected gold ornaments from the victims and others. Some of these ornaments were later mortgaged to borrow Rs 60 lakh from private lenders.

Court Orders Judicial Custody
After completion of police custody, the accused were produced before the court, where public prosecutor Makarand Aurangabadkar argued for continued action against them. Advocate Vijaysinh Thobere represented the complainant.

The court remanded all three accused to judicial custody. During the hearing, the defence lawyers submitted an undertaking that the accused would return the embezzled Rs 14.39 crore to the complainant within one month after temporary bail is granted.

Assurance Brings Hope to Victims
Advocate Thombre said the assurance recorded by the court offers much-needed relief to the complainant couple, who have endured financial and emotional stress due to the fraud. Pune Police will continue to investigate the financial trail and properties acquired using the cheated funds.