Pune’s Bakarwadi brand Chitale Bandhu files police case against product imposter

Mumbai: Pune-based snacks manufacturer Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, has filed a police complaint against a local businessman for allegedly using the company's credentials to sell the snack under an identical brand name.

Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against Pramod Prabhakar Chitale, proprietor of 'Chitale Sweet Home', which sells snacks called Bakarwadi under this name while allegedly falsely using details linked to Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, such as its customer care number, official email address and manufacturing details.

Managing director of Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, Indranil Chitale received several complaints about their popular snack item Bakarwadi, which led his team to procure the look-alike product from the other brand. The original manufacturer then noticed that it was their original credentials mentioned on the product, falsely linking that knock-off snack item to the original Chitale brand. 

The procured packets were sent to its in-house lab in Bhor, where an analysis confirmed a clear difference between the original and the lookalike product.

Chitale said, “The disputed packaging bore the label 'Chitale Sweet Home' in Marathi, along with 'Puneri Special Bakarwadi' and a photograph of the snack.

Despite issuing multiple warnings to the proprietor, the misuse continued, prompting us to approach the police.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Sandip Singh Gill said an offence has been registered at Vishrambaug police station against Pramod Prabhakar Chitale under sections 318(2) (cheating) and 350 (making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with sections 66C and 66D (identity theft) of the Information Technology Act.

A probe was on into the case, the police added.