Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra: A 45-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly staying in a hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for six months using forged documents, with police uncovering multiple suspicious international links and unexplained financial transactions during the probe.

Kalpana Bhagwat was detained on Sunday during a routine police inspection of hotels on Jalna Road ahead of a VIP movement, officials said.

Forged papers, foreign contacts found

According to police, the woman had submitted allegedly forged identity documents to stay at the hotel for an extended period. A search of her room led to the recovery of five papers titled “Appointment in the IAS on the basis of Civil Services Examination 2017” bearing her name. Police said these documents are currently being verified.

During checks on her mobile phone, investigators found several international contacts, including numbers linked to the Afghan Embassy and Pakistan. It was also discovered that she had transferred Rs 3 lakh to a foreign national identified as Ashraf Kil, officials said.

Unexplained ₹32 lakh deposits under probe

Police said the woman had no known employment, yet Rs 32.68 lakh had been deposited into her bank account from multiple sources. Notices have been issued to 13 people across India who transferred money to her, seeking clarification on the purpose of the transactions.

"While she had no job, Rs 32.68 lakh was deposited into her account from various sources. The city police have issued notices to 13 persons who sent various amounts to the woman, seeking reasons for the money transfer," an official said.

Investigators also found that Bhagwat had travelled to Jaipur, Udaipur and Delhi during her stay. Additionally, she had been "indulged in WhatsApp chats with some foreigners," the officer said, adding that the probe team will extract and examine her chats and call records.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating, forgery and other offences, police said.