Nineteen people recruited into the Pune city police force through the sports quota are set to lose their jobs after police uncovered alleged use of forged certificates in kurash and dragon boat competitions. Four people have been arrested, while 19 organisations involved in conducting kurash events are under the Pune Crime Branch’s scrutiny.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the department had decided to remove the 19 recruits from service. Ten of them had not been allowed to join earlier, while nine others were undergoing training at different centres and have now been ordered to return. The candidates may also face legal action, according to the report.
The case relates to Maharashtra’s five per cent reservation for sportspersons. Police allege that certificates were prepared to show that competitions had taken place even when they had not, enabling candidates who were not genuine athletes to create sports records and secure government employment. The alleged activity is said to have occurred between 2016 and 2026.
The Crime Branch has arrested Maharashtra State Kurash Association president Ankush Nagar, secretary Shivaji Salunkhe, and Shruti Pungavkar and her husband, Dhyansheel Pungavkar, who run a sports training centre. Police allege that forged certificates were prepared at the centre.
A case has also been registered against district organisers and other individuals, including Kalyan Balasaheb Murkute, the Parbhani district organiser, and Chandpasha Lalsaheb Sheikh, the Dharashiv district organiser. The complaint was filed by Senior Police Inspector Deepak Lagad at the Shivajinagar police station.
Police have registered the case under Sections 318(4), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 339, 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The investigation began after an individual submitted an application alleging that forged kurash and dragon boat certificates had been used in the 2024–26 Pune city police recruitment process. The application included documents that police examined during the inquiry.
According to the police account cited in the report, investigators found records showing competitions had been conducted during the 2016–2026 period, although the events were allegedly not held. These records were then allegedly used to issue certificates and support applications for jobs in different government departments.
The case now extends beyond the 19 recruits because police are examining the wider certification network. The Crime Branch has collected information about 19 organisations that organised kurash competitions at taluka, district and state levels, along with details of the people running them. Senior police officials said further action against these organisations is expected as the investigation progresses.
The department’s decision affects both recruits who had not yet joined and those already sent for training. The next steps are the return of the nine trainees, further investigation into the certificate-issuing process and possible action against additional organisations and individuals identified by the Crime Branch.
