Bank Agent Murders Hitchhiker to Fake His Death for Rs 1-Crore Insurance Claim, Exposed by Messages to Girlfriend

Ganesh Chavan orchestrated an elaborate scheme to fake his death in order to claim a substantial life insurance policy worth Rs 1-crore.

Mumbai:

A man's sinister plan to fake his own death by murdering an innocent hitchhiker was ultimately foiled by his continued communication with his girlfriend.

Police in Ausa taluka of Latur, Maharashtra were alerted early Sunday about a severely burned body discovered inside a completely charred vehicle. After investigating the vehicle's ownership, they learned it had been borrowed by Ganesh Chavan, a bank recovery agent who had not returned home and whose phone appeared to be switched off.

"Initially, based on the available evidence, we presumed the deceased individual was Chavan," explained Latur Superintendent of Police (SP) Amol Tamble.

However, the investigation soon took an unexpected turn.

By Monday, investigators began noticing inconsistencies in the case. Upon exploring Chavan's personal connections, they discovered he was romantically involved with a woman.

"Our questioning of the woman revealed that Chavan had been messaging and communicating with her using an alternate phone number after the supposed incident," Tambe stated.

This revelation confirmed Chavan was still alive, prompting police to identify the actual victim while tracking Chavan's alternative phone. Their pursuit led them to Kolhapur and eventually to Vijaydurg in Sindhudurg district, where authorities apprehended Chavan.

A Calculated Crime

During interrogation, Chavan confessed to having purchased a Rs 1-crore life insurance policy, intending to use the payout to settle his home loan. To execute this plan, he meticulously arranged to stage his own death through murder.

On Saturday, Chavan offered transportation to a hitchhiker named Govind Yadav at the Tuljapur T-junction in Ausa. According to officials, Yadav was intoxicated, a vulnerability that Chavan exploited.

"They made a stop at an eatery before driving toward the Vanavada Pati-Vanavada road. After parking the vehicle, Yadav consumed some food and subsequently fell asleep inside the car. Chavan then positioned him in the driver's seat, secured him with the seatbelt, placed matchsticks and plastic bags on the seat, and ignited them," an official informed PTI news agency.

To further convince authorities and his family of his demise, Chavan strategically left his personal bracelet near Yadav's body.

"We have registered a murder case. Our ongoing investigation will determine whether Chavan had any accomplices," SP Tambe confirmed.