Dattatray Phuge, a man famous for possessing a golden shirt worth Rs 1.2 crore, was stoned to death last night at 11:30 am at Dighi near Pune. He was a chit-fund businessman and an aspiring politician.
Police suspect the murder is related to a chit-fund scam and four arrests have been made so far.
Dattatray’s wife Seema is an NCP corporator in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation near Pune.
Wearing gold to show strength and get attention is not new in this wealthy belt of Pune. Ramesh Wanjale was the original gold man, who went on to become an MLA. He won the 2009 assembly election on an MNS ticket by a huge margin.
Wanjale died in 2011 of cardiac arrest.
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