A 67-year-old farmer from Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district has become the victim of a massive fraud, allegedly losing a staggering Rs 2.05 crore to a group of four individuals over a six-year period. The accused had promised to secure higher compensation for his land, which was acquired for the Samruddhi expressway, and government jobs for his children.
The Modus Operandi of the Scam
Based on a complaint filed by farmer Suryabhan Palhal (67) from Maliwada village, the Daulatabad police have registered a cheating case. The accused have been identified as Anil Amarchand Sakla, Sheikh Mohammad Khaled Sheikh Mohammad Hanif, Jilani Musa Nizam Dhongade, and Adamkhan Ahmedkhan Sukede.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused posed as influential figures with direct access to secretaries in the state ministry and other senior officials. They allegedly convinced Palhal that they could get his acquired land remeasured to obtain additional compensation. Furthermore, they promised to arrange government jobs for his children in the health department and the railways, including positions as ticket checkers.
How the Fraud Unfolded Over Six Years
The sequence of events dates back to 2017, when Palhal's land was acquired for the Samruddhi expressway project. He initially received a compensation of Rs 2.2 crore. In 2019, during a remeasurement exercise, it was found that an additional 13 gunthas of his land had been acquired.
The accused allegedly used this discovery to their advantage. They convinced the farmer that through their high-level contacts, they could secure substantial extra compensation for this additional land. From March 2019 until August 2025, the group systematically extracted money from Palhal on various false pretexts.
Police stated that the fraudsters gave excuses such as ministers needing to be paid for visits or urgent payments required to move files at higher government levels. Of the total Rs 2.05 crore taken, only Rs 4 lakh was transferred via RTGS. The remaining massive sum was reportedly paid in instalments in cash.
Police Investigation and Ongoing Probe
The scam came to light when neither the promised additional compensation nor the government jobs for Palhal's children materialised. Realising he had been duped, the farmer finally approached the Daulatabad police.
Inspector Rekha Londhe confirmed that a case has been registered and an investigation is actively underway. The police are now working to trace the money trail of the defrauded amount. Authorities are also looking into whether the accused used similar promises to target other potential victims in the region.
This case highlights the vulnerabilities faced by individuals during large-scale infrastructure projects like the Samruddhi expressway, where promises of inflated compensation and secure jobs can be used as bait by unscrupulous elements.
