Purushottam Chavan, husband of senior IPS officer Rashmi Karandikar, has been arrested by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police for allegedly defrauding a Surat-based businessman and others of ₹7.42 crore. Chavan is accused of falsely promising discounted government quota plots and supply contracts linked to the Maharashtra Police Academy—including deals for uniforms and T-shirts—in exchange for large sums of money. None of the promised land or contracts ever materialized.
The alleged fraud spans nearly a decade, from 2015 to 2024. Chavan reportedly lured victims by claiming he could leverage his “influence” to secure government plots and contracts. To gain trust, he often presented forged documents and fake agreements. Victims were promised land under government or Bombay Port Trust (BPT) ownership in locations such as Bhiwandi, Pune, Panvel, and Sewree.
This latest arrest follows an earlier case in which Chavan allegedly duped at least 20 people of ₹24.78 crore by offering government quota flats in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune. In that case, he and his associates used forged sale deeds and registration papers to mislead buyers.
Chavan's activities came under the scanner in May 2024 when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided his residence during a probe into a ₹263.95 crore Income Tax refund scam. During the raid, the ED found fake land documents valued at over ₹100 crore. These findings were shared with the EOW, resulting in multiple FIRs and arrests.
Although Chavan's wife, IPS officer Rashmi Karandikar, has been questioned in connection with financial transactions, she is not named as an accused. She has filed for divorce, citing mental cruelty, financial harassment, and concealment of financial dealings by Chavan.
The EOW is actively investigating the extent of Chavan’s fraud, the origin of the forged documents, and the possibility of more victims or fake land deals surfacing. Authorities are also examining whether others may have assisted in executing the scams.