Mumbai, December 16: A shocking incident of murder and fake death has come to light from Maharashtra, where a man from Latur was arrested for killing a drunk man and faking his own death for INR 1 crore insurance money. The accused has been identified as Ganesh Gopinath Chavan. The alleged scam began when Chavan came up with the plan to fake his own death as he had debts of INR 57 lakh. On Saturday, December 13, cops were alerted about a car burning on Vanavada Pati-Vanavada road in Ausa tehsil.

During the probe, police learned that a man was burned to death inside the burning car, reports PTI. After the incident, cops registered an accidental death case and found that the car belonged to one Baliram Gangadhar Rathod of Ausa Tanda. They also learned that the vehicle was being used by his brother-in-law, Ganesh Chavan. Post this, cops contacted Chavan's wife, who told them that her husband left home at around 10 PM on Saturday (December 13) to give a laptop to a friend. However, he did not return home. Maharashtra Shocker: 13-Year-Old Schoolgirl Jumps to Death From Roof of School Building in Jalna.

Cops Identify Charred Body To Be of Ganesh Chavan, Launch Probe After Suspicion

Amol Tambe, Superintendent of Police, said that with the help of a bracelet at the site, they identified the body to be that of Chavan. However, a crime branch team investigated further based on a suspicion. The investigation revealed that Chavan was alive and was in hiding in the Sindhudurg district. After he was arrested, the accused told cops that he had been under severe financial stress for the past several months. Chavan said that has taken an INR 1 crore term insurance policy three years ago but was burdened with loans amounting to around INR 57 lakh.

Accused Faked His Own Death for INR 1 Crore Term Insurance Money

"To ensure that his family received the insurance money and his debts were wiped out, he planned either to commit suicide or kill someone else to get the insurance amount," the SP said. So, what exactly transpired on December 13? During interrogation, Chavan told cops that he left home on December 13 and reached Yakatpur Road Chowk in Ausa. Over there, he picked up Govind Kishan Yadav (50), the deceased, who was drunk and had sought a lift till Ausa Fort. Pune Shocker: 3 Minors Attack, Kill Teenage Boy With Billhooks and Kukri Near Maharana Pratap Garden in Maharashtra; All Arrested.

Ganesh Chavan Set the Car Ablaze After Dragging the Decedent Into the Driver's Seat

During the ride, the two stopped at an eatery and later drove towards the Vanavada Pati-Vanavada road. The two parked the car, following which Yadav had food and soon fell asleep inside the vehicle. Taking advantage of the situation, Chavan dragged Yadav into the driver's seat and fastened the seatbelt. Post this, the accused placed matchsticks and plastic bags on the seat before setting them ablaze. SP Amol Tambe further added that the accused purposely left the cap of the petrol tank open to ensure the car caught fire quickly. After setting the car on fire, Chavan fled the scene and went into hiding in Sindhudurg's Vijaydurg before he was arrested.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 16, 2025 04:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).