Maharashtra Olympic Association General Secretary Namdev Shirgaonkar Booked in ₹12.45 Crore Fund Embezzlement Case

Pune-based Maharashtra Olympic Association official Namdev Shirgaonkar faces fraud charges for misuse of ₹12.45 crore sports funds, involving fake bills and poor-quality gear.

Pune, October 28, 2025 – The Maharashtra Olympic Association’s general secretary Namdev Shirgaonkar has been booked for allegedly misusing government funds of around ₹12.45 crore meant for national games. The complaint was filed by the working president of the Maharashtra State Kushtigars Association, accusing Shirgaonkar of fabricating bills, inflating costs, and purchasing poor-quality equipment for athletes

According to the complaint, the state government had released ₹3.5 crore for the Gujarat National Games in 2022, ₹4 crore for the Goa National Games in 2023, and ₹4.95 crore for the Uttarakhand National Games in January 2025. These funds were handed over to the Maharashtra Olympic Association for managing logistics and athlete preparation. Only the Gujarat event was properly accounted for, while no documentation or audit reports were submitted for the other two events.

Investigators found that the sports gear supplied to players was substandard. Adidas track suits priced at ₹2,500 each on paper were actually purchased from a Ghaziabad-based vendor for about ₹1,200 apiece. Blazers, shoes, kit bags, and other items also appear to have been billed at inflated rates. The complaint further states that travel expenses amounting to nearly ₹71.96 lakh were falsified using duplicate and fake bills.

The Directorate of Sports and Youth Services had issued a notice to Shirgaonkar on September 26, 2025, demanding a detailed expenditure report by October 3. Despite repeated reminders, the documents were not submitted. Based on these findings, Pune police registered a case and began an investigation under the guidance of senior inspector Umash Gitte.

Officials say the alleged fraud occurred over the past four years, during which Shirgaonkar held significant control over fund allocation. He is also accused of creating multiple sports bodies and appointing close associates to influential positions. The investigation will determine how much money was siphoned off and whether more officials were involved.

This case has raised serious questions about transparency in the administration of sports funds in Maharashtra. Money meant for players’ welfare and competition support appears to have been diverted for personal or organizational gain. The probe aims to uncover how public money, sanctioned for athlete development, ended up being misused through inflated tenders and fake billing.