Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
A 42-year-old man landed in police custody after authorities uncovered a case of fraudulent chassis and engine number tampering on a truck. The court remanded him until March 24 for further investigation.
The accused, Punjaram Manal(42, pimparkheda, Gangapur tehsil), allegedly altered the truck's identification numbers to evade legal action, possibly linked to an unpaid vehicle loan. Police had earlier arrested truck driver Kausar Pathan (34, Mira Road, Shegaon, Ahilyanagar district) in connection with the case. Investigations revealed that the truck’s original engine and chassis numbers belonged to Manal’s vehicle, raising suspicions of a deliberate swap. Police are now probing where and how he forged the numbers.
Assistant public prosecutor Ravindra Avasarmol argued that Manal’s custody was crucial to uncover the full extent of the fraud. Agreeing with the prosecution, the court extended his remand until March 24.