The Pune police recruitment scam probe has widened with the arrest of a Kolhapur-based couple accused of helping prepare forged kurash sports certificates used by candidates to claim reservation benefits in recruitment to the Pune city police force, the Pune Crime Branch said.
Ruti Punagavkar, 45, and Dhairyashil Punagavkar, 51, both residents of Kolhapur, were taken into custody in connection with the case, according to information provided by Additional Commissioner of Police Tejaswi Satpute. The couple allegedly operated a sports training institute in Kolhapur.
Investigators suspect that more than 1,000 forged certificates were issued for money to candidates involved in recruitment processes across different government departments. The allegation is not limited to the Pune police recruitment process, although the case came to light during the examination of documents submitted for recruitment to the city police force.
The certificates allegedly related to kurash, a combat sport, and were used to seek the benefit of reservation available through sports-related eligibility or claims. The Crime Branch has not stated in the supplied report how many candidates or appointments were directly affected, or whether any recruitment decisions have been cancelled.
The Punagavkars are described as relatives of Shivaji Salunke, the secretary of the Maharashtra State Kurash Association. Salunke and association president Ankush Nagar had previously been arrested in the case. With the latest arrests, four people have been taken into custody so far.
According to Satpute, investigators received information that forged certificates were prepared at the Punagavkars’ sports institution in Kolhapur. The police also said Salunke allegedly attempted to destroy evidence by burning forged certificates after his arrest. The report did not provide details about the quantity or nature of the material allegedly destroyed.
The arrests followed questioning of Salunke and Nagar, including a face-to-face examination, during which investigators allegedly found links between the Punagavkars and the certificate network. The couple was detained in Kolhapur and, according to the Crime Branch’s account, their involvement emerged during questioning.
The case raises questions about the verification of sports certificates submitted in public recruitment, particularly when eligibility documents influence reservation claims and access to government employment. For the Pune police recruitment process, the immediate institutional issue is whether the documents were checked against the records of the relevant sports bodies before candidates were considered.
The Crime Branch is questioning additional people as part of the investigation. The supplied report does not establish the final number of forged certificates, identify all alleged recipients, or state whether any candidates who submitted the documents have been arrested. Further action will depend on the continuing investigation and the evidence collected by the police.
