A day after knife attack on a man at a jewellery shop in Vasai East area of Maharashtra, the police have nabbed two people, a police official said on Wednesday. According to the police, the incident occurred around 11:50 am on Tuesday at Ambika Jewellers near Shalimar Hotel in Vasai, when the victim, Kalusingh Khawat, was present in the shop. A man and woman, accompanied by a small child, entered the shop and asked Kalusingh to show a ring and requested water for the child. While the victim went to get the water, the man allegedly attacked him inside the shop with a knife, stabbing him multiple times on his stomach, hands, wrist, palm and cheek, in an alleged attempt to kill him. A case was registered at Vasai Police Station and a parallel probe was launched by the Crime Branch Unit-4. The investigators from the team visited the crime scene, analysed CCTV footage, and gathered information from confidential sources. "The accused were later identified as 23-year-old Sohel Sharafat Khan and a woman, Firdos Bano Sohel Khan, both residents of Tehrouli, Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh," said an official, adding that the duo was arrested from the Nashik Road area and brought to Vasai Police Station after being arrested. The operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Niket Kaushik, Additional Police Commissioner Dattatray Shinde, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sandeep Doifode, and Assistant Police Commissioner Madan Ballal. The team of officers from Crime Branch Unit-4, led by Officer-in-Charge Pramod Badakh, assisted by several other officials, successfully apprehended the suspects. Further investigations in the matter was underway, said a police official.
10 December,2025 07:50 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanMumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested two more people in connection with the alleged Rs 65.54-crore Mithi River desilting scam, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five, officials said on Wednesday. Contractors Sunil Upadhyay and Mahesh Purohit were taken into custody for allegedly obtaining work orders using a forged Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), they said. Both have been remanded in police custody, said an official. The police officials said that last year, three BMC officials, five contractors, three intermediaries and two private companies were booked at Azad Maidan Police Station for irregularities in the long-running desilting project, which has reportedly caused losses of Rs 65.54 crore to the civic body. The Mithi River desilting work has been ongoing for nearly 20 years, with contracts worth Rs 1,100 crore awarded over this period. A preliminary inquiry revealed that 18 contractors have been engaged at different stages. Three BMC assistant engineers and the directors of other entities were earlier named by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for alleged conspiracy. They are charged under sections 406, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC for criminal breach of trust, forgery, cheating and conspiracy. Officials allege that the accused conspired to secure contracts using forged documents, causing substantial financial losses to the civic authority. The SIT is working with the BMC and MMRDA to verify detailed contract records. Of the total desilting stretch, the BMC oversees 11.84 km from Powai to Kurla, while the MMRDA handles the remaining 6.8 km. The investigation began after political leaders raised concerns in the Maharashtra Legislative Council last in August, demanding a probe into the alleged irregularities. Police said the inquiry is ongoing and more arrests were likely in the case.
10 December,2025 07:14 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilA 50-year-old businessman from Goregaon, Mumbai, was allegedly extorted of around Rs 1.2 lakh after befriending an unknown woman on social media, with whom he shared his mobile number. During a video call, the woman reportedly undressed and disconnected immediately after. According to information received from Mumbai Police, the complainant accepted a friend request from a woman on Facebook in October, following which they began chatting and eventually exchanged mobile numbers. As per the businessman’s complaint, when he was in Nashik with his family, the woman video-called him and allegedly stripped on camera, leaving him shocked. He immediately disconnected the call. However, last month, the complainant received the same video on WhatsApp where his face was shown alongside the woman. The accused then allegedly threatened to make the video viral and demanded money. Fearing defamation, the man first paid Rs 15,000 and later transferred a total of Rs 1.2 lakh to multiple accounts after receiving calls from various numbers till December 4. The businessman also claimed that some other callers posed as personnel from Delhi Police and demanded money from him. However, as the extortion continued, he eventually lodged a complaint at Bangur Nagar Police Station. "A case has been registered under relevant sections of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita), and efforts are underway to trace the accused through bank account and mobile number details", said an officer from Bangur Nagar Police Station.
10 December,2025 03:20 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA sensational real-estate fraud that allegedly thrived on forged Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) papers, fake government seals, and a fabricated Intelligence Bureau (IB) identity has taken a crucial turn, with the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) arresting Prabhakar Shetty from Karnataka’s Udupi district. Shetty, believed to be a close aide of the alleged mastermind, the late Rupesh Prabhakar Chaudhary, has been remanded to police custody until December 12, police said on Tuesday. According to the investigators, Shetty allegedly handled portions of the cash and gold collected from multiple investors who were promised MHADA flats in premium South Mumbai and central suburbs. His arrest, officers said, is expected to help map the money trail in what has emerged as one of the more audacious housing scams in recent years. The FIR, lodged at Dindoshi Police Station by businessman Mohammad Aslam Qureshi (45), states that Chaudhary had allegedly projected himself as a senior IB officer with access to government housing quotas. To reinforce this identity, he allegedly circulated forged MHADA allotment letters, fake GRAS challans, and counterfeit correspondence bearing senior officials’ names. Investors were shown these documents and allegedly assured that their flats were "in process". Police sources said Chaudhary maintained a carefully crafted facade—travelling with armed bodyguards, using beacon-fitted vehicles, and mingling with IAS and police officers at social gatherings. One such lavish birthday celebration, attended by bureaucrats and television actors, allegedly helped him attract new investors. Qureshi and others allegedly handed over more than Rs 17 crore between 2023 and 2025, expecting registration on 18 July 2025. Instead, they learnt that Chaudhary had died of a heart attack in Nashik earlier that day. It was during the funeral, Qureshi claimed, that he realised Chaudhary was never an IB officer. An officer said that it had already been established earlier that the documents given to the complainants by the accused were forged. Officers said Shetty’s custodial interrogation will focus on tracing the cash flow, gold deposits, and digital communications linked to the alleged conspiracy. "All allegations are subject to verification. The financial audit and document examination will determine individual roles," an officer said.
09 December,2025 09:14 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilThe North Cyber Police in Mumbai have registered a case where a Kandivali-based senior citizen was allegedly cheated of Rs 26.20 lakh after cyber fraudsters threatened him with ‘digital arrest’, claiming that 187 SIM cards registered in his name were being used for human trafficking and abusing women. Posing as officials from the Supreme Court, Telangana Police, and Bengaluru Cyber Coordination Unit, they allegedly told the complainant that a case had been filed against him under the Official Secrets Act, which could result in a 10-year imprisonment and put him under ‘digital arrest’. According to the police, the incident took place in November while the complainant was travelling to Nashik with his wife. He received a call from a man claiming to be a Bengaluru Cyber Police officer and was told that 187 SIM cards under his name were involved in human trafficking and verbal abuse. The caller further claimed that these SIM cards were recovered during a raid in Telangana and Rs 30 lakh had been deposited into his bank account. Soon after, he received a WhatsApp message stating that a police case had been filed and he would be barred from performing any activities. Frightened, the senior citizen returned to Mumbai, where another caller informed him about a non-bailable warrant. A woman posing as a police officer conducted a video call with him, obtained his bank details, and instructed him to send 50 signatures on blank paper. Under pressure, the victim transferred money to the account given by the fraudsters. "After the transaction, the accused stopped responding. Realising he had been duped, the complainant approached the North Region Cyber Police and filed a complaint. An FIR (first information report) has been registered, and we initiated further investigation,” said an officer. The Cyber Police have urged citizens to remain cautious and verify such calls, adding that no agency asks for signatures or orders a digital arrest.
09 December,2025 07:43 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanIn a shocking case of an alleged attempted sexual assault inside a moving auto-rickshaw in Mumbai, a teenager college student suffered serious injuries after she jumped out of the speeding vehicle to escape molestation, officials said. The incident took place near Malad area of suburban Mumbai when the girl was travelling to Orlem on Monday evening, they said. According to police, the victim was seated in the corner seat when the driver asked her to shift to the middle. He then allegedly began making vulgar gestures through the rear-view mirror. Moments later, he pulled the side curtain and forcefully touched her inappropriately while the auto was still in motion. Terrified, the girl leapt out of the moving auto-rickshaw. Luckily, no vehicle was behind at that moment, but the fall left her with a fractured arm and multiple injuries. The driver later fled the spot with the vehicle. The victim informed her family and relatives following the incident and she was shifted to a nearby hospital. Based on the victim complaint a case under relevant sections of BNS was registered on Monday evening, said an official. "Considering the seriousness of the matter, under the guidance of DCP Sandeep Jadhav Zone 11, ACP Parkash Bagal, Goregaon Division and Senior Inspector Dushyant Chauhan began the investigation after forming a team led by API Deepak Raiwade, along PSI Tushar Sukhdev along with their detection staff and tracked down the accused in the case. He was later placed under arrest," said a police official.
09 December,2025 07:19 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a criminal case against Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd. (RCFL), a company of the Reliance ADA Group, in connection with a bank fraud worth Rs 57.47 crore. The case names the company’s promoters, directors, and unknown bank officials, an official statement said. The action follows a complaint filed by the Bank of Maharashtra, which alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating, and misconduct that resulted in a wrongful loss to the bank. According to the complaint, RCFL’s loan account was declared a Non-Performing Asset (NPA) on March 25, 2020 and later classified as fraud on October 4, 2025. Investigators stated that RCFL had taken loans amounting to Rs 9,280 crore from a group of 31 banks, financial institutions, NBFCs, and corporate bodies, including the Bank of Maharashtra. The CBI will now conduct a detailed investigation into allegations of fraud against all these lenders. On December 9, 2025, after securing court-approved search warrants, CBI teams carried out searches at the company’s Mumbai office and at the Pune residence of Devang Pravin Mody, a Director of RCFL. Officials reported that they found several incriminating documents, which are now being seized as part of the investigation.
09 December,2025 05:48 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at the Mumbai residence of Jai Anmol Ambani, son of industrialist Anil Ambani, after registering an FIR against him and Reliance Home Finance Ltd. (RHFL) for allegedly cheating Union Bank of India of Rs 228 crore, an official statement said on Tuesday. The case stems from a complaint filed by Union Bank of India (formerly Andhra Bank) against Reliance Home Finance Ltd., then director Jai Anmol Ambani, and former CEO Ravindra Sharad Sudhakar, alleging that the company failed to repay credit facilities, leading the bank to classify the account as a non-performing asset (NPA) in 2019, it said. In a statement, the CBI said that the agency obtained search warrants from the Special Judge for CBI cases in Mumbai and began searches on December 9, 2025 at two official premises of Reliance Home Finance Ltd., the residential premises of Jai Anmol Ambani, and the residence of Ravindra Sudhalkar, the former CEO and Whole-Time Director of RHFL. According to the complaint, Reliance Home Finance Ltd. had availed loans amounting to Rs 5,572.35 crore from 18 banks, financial institutions, NBFCs and corporate bodies, including Union Bank. The CBI said a detailed investigation will be carried out to look into allegations of fraud against all lenders involved. The agency obtained search warrants from the Special CBI Court in Mumbai and began searches on 9 December 2025 at two official premises of Reliance Home Finance Ltd., as well as the residences of Jai Anmol Ambani, son of Anil Ambani and former director of the company, and Ravindra Sudhalkar, former CEO and whole-time director. Both properties are located in Mumbai. The CBI said several incriminating documents have been found and seized during the searches, which are still underway. Reliance Home Finance Ltd. or Jai Anmol Ambani were yet to issue an official statement in the matter.
09 December,2025 04:39 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilThe Mumbai police have registered a case against two persons for allegedly duping a businessman of Rs 33.5 lakh on the pretext of securing admission for his daughter in a medical college in Chennai, an official said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. Based on a complaint, a first information report (FIR) has been registered against Rocky Savio and Stephen Duxter, both residents of Chennai, the official said, reported PTI. According to the FIR, the complainant's daughter appeared for her Class 12 board exams three years ago, and gave the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) in July 2022, but was unable to secure admission at any medical college in Maharashtra due to her poor scores, reported PTI. The complainant came in contact with the accused through his relatives and sought their help. The duo allegedly informed him that the admission process would cost Rs 33.5 lakh, and he transferred the amount to them, the official said, reported PTI. However, despite the long wait, the girl hadn't secured admission, and the accused continued to give evasive replies, he said. Following a probe, the police registered a case of cheating, but no arrests have been made, the official said. Thane jeweller duped of Rs 70 lakh; 3 booked In another case, the police have registered a case against a couple and another person for allegedly cheating a jeweller in Maharashtra's Thane district of Rs 70 lakh, officials said on Monday, reported PTI. The accused gained the trust of the jeweller, from Golawli in Dombivli, by making timely payments on earlier purchases. However, in October, they bought gold ornaments, collectively valued at nearly Rs 70 lakh, on three occasions, an official from Manpada police station said, reported PTI. The accused promised to clear the dues later, but did not make the payment. Upon further insistence, they abused and threatened the jeweller, the police said. Following the jeweller's complaint, the police on December 5 registered a case against the three accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 318(4) (cheating), 314 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 352 (intentional insult), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention), the official said. (With inputs from PTI)
09 December,2025 10:48 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA 49-year-old Bhandup-based business consultant was allegedly cheated of Rs 7.10 lakh after being lured into a fraudulent WhatsApp trading scheme called the ‘Aishwarya Plan’, which promised over 100 per cent returns with zero brokerage. The victim, an active online trader, was first contacted on October 28 by a woman who claimed to represent a reputed brokerage. He was added to a WhatsApp group and asked to download a fake trading app that showed dummy profits to build his confidence. Between November 7 and November 25, he was repeatedly asked to “recharge” his trading account by transferring money to multiple third-party bank accounts for share trading and a fake IPO allotment. In total, he transferred Rs 7.10 lakh to at least five different accounts under various firm names. To strengthen credibility, the fraudsters initially allowed him to withdraw Rs 15,920. However, his request for a larger withdrawal was blocked, citing a low in-app “credit score”. The FIR names nine accused, identified through different mobile numbers and bank accounts. The victim later filed a complaint with the Kanjurmarg police and approached the 1930 cyber helpline. Red flags for investors >> Guaranteed high returns>> Trading through WhatsApp groups>> Requests to recharge funds>> Multiple third-party bank accounts>> Easy profits shown, big withdrawals blocked>> Pressure to invest in exclusive IPOs Check SEBI’s guidelines >> The ‘Aishwarya Plan’ is not SEBI-registered.>> Police say the name was only used to make the scheme appear premium.>> SEBI warns against WhatsApp tips, guaranteed returns, or unregistered apps.>> Verify brokers only through SEBI’s official website. Where to complain National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930Website: cybercrime.gov.in Oct 28Day victim first came in contact with scamsters
09 December,2025 07:16 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerThe police on Monday opposed the bail plea of former Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh Chaudhary, who is accused of shooting dead his senior colleague and three passengers on a moving train in July 2023, reported the PTI. The prosecution told the court that the case is extremely serious and could attract the death penalty, making bail inappropriate at this stage. In a written response filed by Additional Public Prosecutor Sudhir Sapkale, the police said that key witnesses were currently being examined and that there was already substantial evidence on record against Chaudhary. Granting bail now, they argued, would seriously harm the prosecution’s case, according to the PTI. Chaudhary is accused of killing Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena and three passengers on board the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express near Palghar on July 31, 2023. In his bail application, filed through advocates Amit Mishra and Pankaj Ghildiyal, Chaudhary claimed he was suffering from "white matter disease", a condition that affects the brain’s white matter, as per the PTI. His lawyers argued he experiences severe mental episodes, delusions and confusion, and therefore had no awareness of his actions at the time of the incident. The prosecution, however, dismissed his health claims, saying they were not convincing and could not be considered at this stage. Meanwhile, the wife of one of the victims sought the court’s permission to be heard during the bail hearing. Her intervention plea, filed through advocates Karim Pathan and Fazlurrahman Shaikh, said there was direct evidence against Chaudhary, including eyewitness accounts and recovery of the weapon and cartridges. She argued that granting bail would allow the accused to tamper with evidence, the news agency reported. On Monday, an RPF constable who helped arrest Chaudhary testified in court. He told the judge that when he first saw Chaudhary walking on the tracks between Mira Road and Dahisar, the accused threatened to shoot him, reported the PTI. The witness said he confronted Chaudhary, asking why he had left the train, but received no reply. Instead, Chaudhary "stared at me and said, ‘Don’t come in my way or follow me, otherwise I will shoot you.’" Fearing for his life, the constable stepped aside but continued to follow him from a distance. Chaudhary was later caught on a foot-over bridge at Mira Road station, as per the PTI. (with PTI inputs)
08 December,2025 09:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
