18 July,2025 07:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya Iyer
Police sources revealed that the accused is a repeat offender. Representational pic
The Shivaji Nagar Police in Mumbai's Govandi, along with Crime Branch Unit 6, have arrested the prime accused in a case involving the illegal sale of banned gutkha, pan masala, and tobacco products.
Forty-three-year-old Mohammad Ghaus Zaror Ahmed Khan was apprehended in Sector 11 of Nerul, Navi Mumbai, near the Ayyappa Temple on Wednesday.
The police raided Lotus Colony in Shivaji Nagar early on Wednesday and uncovered a stash of banned substances valued at Rs 1.17 lakh. The raid, conducted above a public toilet, led to the registration of the first information report (FIR) against Khan, who was absconding.
According to the crime branch officers, Khan, along with an accomplice named Salman Bulb, had illegally stored the items for sale despite a state-wide prohibition by the Maharashtra government owing to health hazards. After the case was registered, Ghaus reportedly fled the area and was traced to Nerul, Navi Mumbai, following a tip-off.
A specialised crime branch team laid a trap and arrested Khan.
He was taken for medical examination before being handed over to the Shivaji Nagar Police for further investigation.
Police sources also revealed that Khan is a repeat offender, with a prior case registered against him in 2023 at Shivaji Nagar Police Station.
The crackdown comes amid ongoing efforts by Mumbai Police to curb the sale of banned and harmful substances in the city.
