A 47-year-old driver, allegedly a member of a smuggling racket was killed by a group of five people for cheating them to the tune of Rs 21 lakh after promising a hefty profit by selling a red sand boa snake. The deceased, Udaybhan Pal, a resident of Ghatkopar, had gone missing in mid-June. The Ghatkopar cops, after a detailed investigation, not only found out the body but also arrested the five accused with the help of Satara Police.

Udaybhan Pal, resident of Ashok Nagar Hill no. 3, Ghatkopar (W), informed his wife Savitri on June 17, 2019, that, he was going to Karad city in Satara district for some errands. Later on, Pal, an auto driver, suddenly made a fortune and purchased a second hand Skoda car. Pal would use this car to ferry private trips. Savitri had a word with Pal on June 18, who then assured her that he would return to Mumbai in a day or two. However, his cell phone was switched off on the evening of June 18.