Cheating case: Developer DS Kulkarni detained in Delhi

The Pune Police today detained embattled city-based developer D S Kulkarni and his wife in New Delhi in a cheating case after the Bombay High Court lifted interim protection from arrest given to them.

D S Kulkarni and his wife Hemanti were booked by the Pune Police on charges of cheating over 2,500 investors to the tune of Rs 230 crore.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Pankaj Dahane, who holds additional charge of the Economic Offence Wing, told PTI that Kulkarni and his wife were detained in Delhi this morning and the process of their arrest had begun.

"They will be brought to Pune today," the officer said but refused to share additional details.

The Bombay High Court yesterday withdrew the interim protection from arrest that it had earlier granted to Kulkarni and his wife.

Justice Sadhana Jadhav had noted that the Kulkarnis had taken the court "for granted" and that they had "not only cheated their investors, but also the court".

Observing that they must not be permitted to enjoy protection from arrest at the "cost of the court's faith", Justice Jadhav had vacated her order of November, in which she had granted anticipatory bail to the couple.

In November last year, Justice Jadhav had granted protection from arrest to the Kulkarnis after they assured the court that they had every intention of repaying the investors.

At that time, they had also assured the court that they would deposit Rs 50 crore with the court registry within a fortnight. However, no such deposit was made.

Last year, following complaints from investors, the Economic Offences Wing of the Pune Police registered a complaint against Kulkarni and his wife.

According to a complaint filed by one of the depositors, Jitendra Mulekar, investors put in lakhs of rupees in a deposit scheme of DSK Developers, but neither received the interest nor the principal amount for months.