Mimicry gang impersonated Sharad Pawar to get Covid-19 drug

Vikas Gurav claims to be a fan of Sharad Pawar and has been mimicking his voice for 20 years

The duo held recently for mimicking the voice of Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar in an attempt to get an officer transferred in Mantralaya, allegedly also procured remdesivir from hospitals in Pimpri-Chinchwad in April-May this year similarly. The police said the doctors and the hospital staff, who panicked hearing the ‘voice of the leader,' handed over the drugs to the accused and his associate, who later sold them in the black market for an exorbitant price.

The duo's - Vikas Gurav, 51, and Kiran Kakde, 26 - accomplice in another case where they earlier impersonated the veteran politician has also been arrested. An Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) official told the Killa court, "Vikas called in Sharad Pawar's voice and took remdesivir injections from people associated with the medical field and sold them to the needy for Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000." The accused told the cops that posing as Pawar, he would tell the doctors that he was sending his party worker to collect the drugs. He would get an associate to collect them.

"Using Pawar's voice the accused may have procured and sold eight to ten injections. We are still investigating the matter," the AEC official told the court. Cops said they are trying to look for Gurav's cell phone which is crucial evidence in the case. The accused, however, told the investigating officers that the phone he used was thrown into the jungles of Khandala.

The duo were held for trying to get an officer transferred with a call they made with one of them mimicking Sharad Pawar's voice

Gurav, who imitates Pawar's voice, claims to be his fan and has been mimicking his voice for the past 20 years. He has made several videos on YouTube, imitating the voice of Pawar. Cops claim that Gurav worked as an estate agent and did other odd jobs. He hails from Pune and is unemployed.

Also read: No guidelines from central and state govts, so no booster shots for now: BMC

When ‘Pawar' sought a transfer

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a secretary level officer of the Revenue Department of Mantralaya received a call recently, wherein the caller claimed to be Pawar, calling from Silver Oak. Silver Oak is the NCP leader's residence in Mumbai. The caller asked that a junior officer from the Revenue Department be transferred to another department. The number on display was that of Silver Oak. However, the officer at Mantralaya who had received the call, felt something was amiss and called Silver Oak. He was told Pawar was in New Delhi. The matter was informed to the police.

The Gaondevi police had registered a case and transferred it to the Crime Branch. In the investigation, it was found that Gurav and Kakde had made the call. It was also found that they had used the spoofing app, through which it is possible to display another number when making a call.

Their accomplice was identified as Dheeraj Pathare. The police said Kakde would pose as office staff and hand over the phone to Gurav, saying Sahebanna bolaychai (Pawar wants to speak to you).

8-10
No. of injections of remdesivir the accused allegedly procured and sold