In a rare blend of linguistic ability, cyber skills, and relentless follow-up, police constable Adesh Chalwadi from Pune has managed to recover over 250 stolen mobile phones from multiple states, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh and return them to their rightful owners.
Chalwadi, 35, is attached to Shivajinagar police station and has been with the Pune police since 2013.
After his basic police training, Chalwadi was posted to the cyber police cell, where he picked up the technical skills crucial to tracking stolen phones. Since 2022, he has been part of the cyber team at Shivajinagar police station, and from 2023, he began focusing actively on mobile phone recovery.
Fluent in Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, and English, his multilingual skills have played a critical role in establishing communication with local informants, buyers, and police departments across state borders. Many of the phones he retrieved were stolen in snatching and theft cases reported in Pune.
Though born and raised in Pune, Chalwadi’s roots trace back to a village near the Karnataka border. His family routinely speaks Kannada at home, and many of his relatives are settled in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. While he completed his schooling in Marathi, he naturally picked up Kannada and Telugu through family interactions.
“Because of my family background, I can comfortably speak Kannada and Telugu,” he said.
Explaining the process, he said, “Once a theft complaint is filed, it is uploaded to the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal. As soon as the stolen device is activated, we receive an alert. We then contact the current user, inform them they’re using a stolen phone, and request its return. In most cases, they comply—either by visiting the police station or couriering the device. If someone resists, we handle it accordingly.”
According to Chalwadi, stolen phones often end up in the hands of truck drivers, hotel staffers, or migrant workers in states like Karnataka, Telangana, and West Bengal, where his local knowledge and language proficiency have proved invaluable.
Challenges
Recalling one particularly difficult case, Chalwadi said a high-end iPhone worth ₹1 lakh was stolen in Pune in 2024. Despite activating his network, the phone remained untraceable for months. “Tracking just one device over weeks is tough when you’re handling dozens of other cases. But I took it as a personal challenge,” he said.
Eventually, the device resurfaced in Baramati. Acting swiftly, the team conducted a raid, but the suspect fled to Solapur. “It was disappointing to miss the accused, but we recovered the phone later after it was resold,” he said.
Recognition and growth
In his 12-year police career, Chalwadi has received 138 commendations for his service. He is currently preparing for the internal examination for the police sub-inspector post and plans to learn Tamil next.
“He was given a free hand in phone recovery and performed exceptionally,” said Arvind Mane, former senior inspector at Shivajinagar Police Station.
Current senior inspector Mahesh Bolkotgi added, “Chalwadi has a strong network in the border districts. His command over languages and coordination with informants has been vital in cracking several theft cases.”
Chalwadi has also mentored his colleague, Tejas Chopade, who is now following in his footsteps in cyber investigations and mobile recovery.
“We work as a team. I’m happy to help my colleagues build the same skills. It only makes our work stronger,” Chalwadi said.
