Panvel, Maharashtra: Panvel City Police have arrested a habitual fraudster, Sanjay Pandurang Kadam alias KK (35), who allegedly rented high-end photography equipment across multiple states and fled without returning it. Police recovered camera equipment worth Rs 5.5 lakh in the operation.
The case was registered at Panvel City Police Station following a complaint by photographer Ramchandra Malusare from Karanjade. He alleged that Kadam rented a camera and related equipment in December and absconded without payment.
During the investigation, police discovered that Kadam frequently changed addresses across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and another state and switched off his mobile numbers to avoid detection. Acting on technical surveillance that indicated he was hiding in Daman, a police team led by Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Powar, along with constables Vidyadhar Gaikwad and Kashinath Lokhande, apprehended him with assistance from local authorities.
During interrogation, Kadam allegedly confessed to selling the stolen camera equipment at a shop near CST area in Mumbai. The police subsequently recovered the entire consignment. Investigators revealed that he had used nine SIM cards while on the run to conceal his identity.
Senior Police Inspector Nitin Thakare said, “The accused constantly changed his location and mobile numbers to mislead us. Through technical analysis and coordinated efforts, our team tracked him down and recovered the stolen property. We are checking if he has used the same method to defraud others.”
