Pratik Kumar Choukhande, a resident of Swapnalok Society in Fursungi, Saswad, has been accused of orchestrating a large-scale share market scam, defrauding 43 individuals of nearly Rs5.96 crore. The accused ran two businesses under the names Value Trek Share Market and Trade Art Share Market.
According to the Hadapsar Police, Choukhande attracted investors by teaching them the basics of share market investing. He promised a lucrative monthly return of 10% on their investments, enticing them to part with large sums of money.
A 57-year-old woman from the Vaiduwadi area of Hadapsar lodged a formal complaint after she invested Rs25 lakh under Choukhande’s guidance. Initially, she received Rs3 lakh as part of the promised return, but from August 2024, the payments ceased, and communication with the accused stopped. The victim eventually realized she had been defrauded of Rs15.5 lakh.
Further police investigations uncovered that Choukhande had defrauded 42 other individuals, collecting Rs5.96 crore in total. The police are continuing their investigation, with efforts underway to trace Choukhande’s whereabouts, as he is reported to be living in a rented property.
The Crime Branch of the Hadapsar Police Station is handling the investigation and has assured that further action will be taken after a thorough inquiry.