In a twist straight out of a crime thriller, a wanted fraud accused in a multi-crore loan scam was caught not through a planned manhunt, but after a drunken brawl at a Delhi hotel exposed his identity. A quick online search by the police, which threw up a mid-day report identifying him as a fugitive, ultimately led to the arrest of Amol Thakre, who had been on the run after allegedly duping victims across Maharashtra.
How he was caught
>> Thakre, who had fled to Nepal after duping victims,recently returned to India
>> Checked into a hotel in Paharganj on April 12
>> Got into an argument with hotel staff under the influence of alcohol or drugs
>> Police called to the scene
>> Attempted to flee, caught with the help of the staff
>> Gave a false name to mislead the police
The accused Amol Thakre
At a glance
Accused: Amol Thakre
Case: Multi-crore fake loan scam
Arrest location: Paharganj, New Delhi
Trigger: Hotel brawl and identity check
Status: In police custody till April 18
Breakthrough moment
>> Police checked his ID and grew suspicious
>> An officer searched his name online
>> A mid-day report identified him as a wanted accused
>> Delhi Police alerted Charkop Police
The accused in police custody in Delhi. Pics/By Special Arrangement
Transfer and custody
>> PSI Abhimanyu Dhande confirmed identity
>> Under the direction of DCP Sandeep Jadhav (Zone 11) and senior inspector Vinayak Chauhan
>> The team travelled to Delhi and took custody of Thakre, who was brought to Mumbai and produced in court
>> Remanded to police custody till April 18
>> PSI Abhimanyu Dhande said, “The mid-day report played a crucial role in alerting the Delhi Police, leading to Thakre’s arrest. The number of victims could rise.”
The scam model
Charkop police had earlier uncovered a racket in which hundreds across the state were allegedly duped on the pretext of securing loans under NABARD schemes. An agent, Shrikant Gavde, has been arrested. He allegedly sourced clients on a commission basis.
Big money, zero loans
Police said:
>> Victims applied for loans ranging fromRs 25 lakh to Rs 5 crore and paid to 30 per cent commission in advance
>> No loans were ever sanctioned
>> To sustain the racket, Thakre occasionally refunded money to select victims, creating trust and attracting more targets.
Network and accomplices
Operated through agents across Maharashtra, offering 10 per cent commission
Gavde, 37, was one such agent
More suspects identified:
Vikas Singh (chartered accountant)
Abhay Singh (land verification handler)
Avinash (full identity unknown)
Funds collected from victims were allegedly routed to Vikas Singh, who remains untraced
The pitch
Thakre allegedly lured victims with:
>> Loans for small-scale businesses
>> End-to-end business setup support
>> “No EMI for three years”
>> Loans without proper documentation
>> No repayment if the business failed
>> In return, he demanded 20-30 per cent commission upfront
How the operation worked
During interrogation, Thakre revealed a calculated and evolving fraud model.
>> A former bank manager, he initially cheated students by promising college admissions
>> Later shifted to a larger fake loan racket
>> Studied genuine loan procedures and documentation to appear credible
>> Created sample loan files to convince victims
>> Began targeting victims from Vidarbha, his native region
Investigation status
Victim statements recorded 12
Estimated fraud Rs 70 Lakh
Documents seized 80 files
Probe ongoing; figures expected to rise
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