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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 3:50:26 am

Kolhapur cop sets new standard for investigations

Yogesh Kumar Gupta Kolhapur: When a police officer takes genuine interest in securing justice for citizens duped in financial fraud, investigations can move swiftly enough to lift the crushing burden off affected families. Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Yogesh Kumar Gupta has demonstrated precisely that. His firm and sensitive handling of a cheating case ensured relief for Akshay Deepak Dhale, a young entrepreneur from Kolhapur who had fallen prey to a Rajkot-based company that allegedly...

Kolhapur cop sets new standard for investigations

Yogesh Kumar Gupta Kolhapur: When a police officer takes genuine interest in securing justice for citizens duped in financial fraud, investigations can move swiftly enough to lift the crushing burden off affected families. Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Yogesh Kumar Gupta has demonstrated precisely that. His firm and sensitive handling of a cheating case ensured relief for Akshay Deepak Dhale, a young entrepreneur from Kolhapur who had fallen prey to a Rajkot-based company that allegedly promised to secure large government loans for business expansion. Gupta’s intervention compelled company representatives to travel to Kolhapur and assure repayment of the money collected, effectively forcing them onto the back foot. Dhale, a resident of Sadar Bazaar, had dreamt of expanding his late father’s small printing business after losing him during the Covid-19 pandemic. Lured by promises of securing a multi-crore loan under a Central government scheme, he transferred ₹69 lakh — raised from nearly 15 friends and relatives — to the company’s account. The loan, however, never materialised. When Dhale began making inquiries, he was met with evasive responses. The financial shock left the family devastated. Initial attempts to seek police help reportedly went nowhere, with the matter labelled as “non-criminal” and dismissed at the preliminary stage. Acting on advice, the family approached the district police chief directly. Gupta’s decisive stand altered the course of the case, leading to concrete assurances of refund from the company. However, a far larger challenge now looms before the Kolhapur police chief. Across Kolhapur — and reportedly other parts of Maharashtra — several Marathi youths claim to have been duped by a Morbi-based businessman who allegedly promises to set up “innovative” enterprises for aspiring entrepreneurs. The scale of the alleged fraud runs into crores of rupees. The businessman, said to be linked to a major tile industry in Morbi, is accused of luring youngsters through social media promotions and advertorials in prominent English dailies. Contracts are structured to appear transparent and legitimate. Prospective entrepreneurs are promised exclusive access to novel business models, often involving products sourced from Chinese markets, complete with projected marketing strategies and attractive feature lists. According to victims, payments are collected upfront, but the products eventually supplied lack the promised specifications and hold negligible market value. Several youths across Maharashtra are believed to have suffered losses. Those who have confronted the accused allege they were threatened with defamation suits and warned that a team of “expert lawyers” would ensure their financial and reputational ruin if complaints were filed. While some victims have resigned themselves to debt and despair, others who attempted to pursue police complaints claim they were turned away. For many of these young entrepreneurs, SP Yogesh Kumar Gupta represents a ray of hope. If he chooses to take up the matter with the same resolve demonstrated earlier, it could not only restore faith among affected youths but also send a strong deterrent message to fraudsters operating under the guise of innovation-driven enterprise.

Exploiting waterways to progress

Mumbai: Leveraging on the Centre’s thrust for milking inland and coastal waterways for transport, Mumbai has started taking small steps with big and small speedboats and large vessels to ferry both passengers, vehicles and small cargo to various destinations.

 

In the past few years, the government has introduced shore-to-shore ferry boats across creeks, coasts in and around the city, which have grown in popularity with locals, commuters and tourists for their convenience, time-and-fuel savings and the novel thrill of ‘sailing’ short distances.

 

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari have been staunch advocates of water transport while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed on port-led development comprising ports modernization, enhanced connectivity, port-linked industrialization, and coastal community development.

 

In Mumbai, some ferries – passengers, Ro-Ro, or both - are operated by government agencies, a handful by local cooperatives and a few by private operators

 

The Roll On-Roll Off (Ro-Ro) have especially gained popularity among the tourist crowds thronging to destinations like Mandwa (mainland at Raigad), Elephanta Islands, Gorai, Madh Island and Uttan beaches, Arnala and Vasai forts, boosting tourism and creating job avenues for the locals.

 

The traditional routes like Ferry Wharf (Bhaucha Dhakka, near Mazgaon) and Gateway of India to Mandwa (@ 25 kms from Alibaug town) or Elephanta Islands; Borivali to Gorai; Marve to Manori; have been ‘upgraded’ with Ro-Ro vessels.

 

On the major routes, there are huge ferries with large capacity to carry heavy and small vehicles and sport air-conditioned decks, as also the recently introduced Bhayander to Vasai and Naigaon, proving extremely popular.

 

“For people like me, the road and ferry options are equally comfortable. It takes roughly 45 minutes (Gateway of India) 90 minutes (Bhaucha Dhakka) one-way. If I take the ferry with my car, I avoid the traffic hassles,” a resident of Alibaug, Adv. Surendra Dhavale told The Perfect Voice.

 

Hundreds of people living or studying on the mainland, or on the small isles like Panju Island, or across the creeks, daily ‘commute’ to work in Mumbai via the ferry options.

 

A marketing executive Rajendra Patil from a hamlet in the coastal Naigaon routinely hops onto a ferry to catch the local trains from Bhayander “to avoid the Virar-Bhayander crush” especially during summers.

 

The waterways are proving quite economical compared with autorickshaws or even private vehicles considering the spiralling fuel prices.

 

A consultant from Dahisar, Kishore Gowale said that he takes his family via ferries to Arnala or Gorai for short outings or weekend picnics, far more convenient than a few years ago when the logistics bogged down such travel plans.

 

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