The Crime Branch of Mumbai Police on Monday arrested the main shooter, identified as Deepak Chandra, a resident of Agra, in connection with the shooting incident at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s house on February 1. In a multi-state operation, the Mumbai Police, along with the police of other states, also arrested six more accused, taking the total number of arrests to 12 people so far. While Chandra and five other accused were arrested in Haryana, one more accused was arrested in Uttar Pradesh. Police have identified the other arrested accused as Sonu Kumar, 20; Vishal Thakur, 19; Jatin Bhardwaj, 22; and Hritik Vinod Singh Yadav, 24. Filmmaker Rohit Shetty The cops are now tracing the main accused gangster, Shubham Lonkar, who claimed to be a gang member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and is also wanted in the Baba Siddiqui murder case. A police source said, “Chandra resides with his parents and sister in Agra. He came in contact with the Bishnoi gang members last year. Chandra doesn’t have any criminal records. He was unemployed for many years. He took training in firing from the other gang members.” During the investigation, the anti-extortion cell found that the main shooter was present near Shetty’s house along with the other arrested accused. Planned escape According to the police, after the firing, all the accused met at the Kalyan railway station, from where they escaped to Pune. Further investigations revealed that the accused, Bhardwaj, who is Chandra’s cousin, had given him Rs 1500 for travel expenses. After carrying out the firing, Chandra and Kumar fled to Agra, where they stayed at a factory in which accused Yadav works as a supervisor. Later, the duo travelled to Noida and stayed at Thakur’s residence. The accused persons had been on the run across various states for 16 days and were finally arrested in Haryana. Police custody Police said that following their arrest, all the accused were produced at sessions court, which remanded them to police custody till February 25. The weapon used in the offence is yet to be recovered, said police.
17 February,2026 09:25 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaA 67-year-old homemaker from Malad was allegedly cheated of Rs 12 lakh in a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam, in which fraudsters posing as police and central agency officers kept her under constant virtual watch for six days. The trap Cyber police said the woman received a WhatsApp video call from a man claiming to be a Mumbai Police officer. Using a profile photo with a police logo, he alleged that a bank account opened in her name in Lucknow had been used to route '17 crore for terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir. She was told she had earned a 10 per cent commission and could face arrest and up to 10 years in jail. Fake documents, real fear To make the threat appear genuine, the accused sent forged Supreme Court orders, an arrest warrant and an RBI notice. She was warned that the case involved “national security” and told not to inform her family. Under ‘house arrest’ Police said the woman was told she was under house arrest, forced to stay on video calls and to report daily, saying, “I am safe.” “Whenever I panicked, he would calm me down and tell me to relax. I thought he was genuinely helping me. So I told him everything,” the woman said. Police added that the accused used fear to build trust. On day three, she was asked to break a '12 lakh FD and transfer the amount via RTGS to a Coimbatore account for “verification.” How it surfaced The fraud came to light after her daughter checked her phone and alerted the 1930 cyber helpline. An FIR has been registered. Cyber safety advisory >> Dial 1930 immediately to report cyber fraud>> Police never conduct “digital arrests” on WhatsApp>> No authority asks for a money transfer for verification>> Warrants are never sent via messaging apps
17 February,2026 08:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerDays after the Dindoshi police busted a fake government document racket and arrested two persons while also seizing 443 ration cards, a third arrest was made on Monday in which the police apprehended the owner of a government rationing shop in Andheri West’s Gilbert Hill area. The accused, Dineshkumar Premchand Kesarwani, 40, had allegedly obtained two ration cards from a person identified as Dayal. Larger scam unearthed Investigators say the probe has revealed evidence pointing to a much larger scam. According to officials, the fake ration cards were allegedly used to fraudulently avail benefits under various government welfare schemes, particularly medical treatment schemes. Police sources said verification of all seized fake ration cards is currently underway. Teams have visited multiple addresses listed on the cards. While some addresses were found to be non-existent, statements have been recorded from individuals traced at other locations, said sources. During questioning, several beneficiaries from the Malwani area in Malad allegedly admitted to using the fake ration cards to avail treatment in private hospitals under schemes such as the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana and the Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojana, along with other government health initiatives. Most of the treatments included major procedures such as bypass heart surgery, angiography, knee replacement, and other serious medical interventions. Hospitals under scanner “During interrogation of a witnesses, we learned that teams operating in Mira Road and other parts of the city hospitals allegedly took money to create fake ration cards and helped beneficiaries avail scheme benefits using those cards. The agents operating from the hospital had charged Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 for arranging fake ration cards. Many beneficiaries give these charges cash as well as online transactions to the agents,” said an officer from Dindoshi police station. Several prominent private hospitals and agents have come under the scanner. Police sources indicated that this racket has been operating for several years, siphoning off crores of rupees from the government exchequer. Officials said the estimated loss is expected to rise further as the investigation progresses, and strict action will be taken against any hospital or individualfound complicit.
17 February,2026 08:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA seven-year-old boy residing in Bandra East fractured his arm while defending his mother and two teenage sisters from his late father’s brother and his family after the latter allegedly threw boiling water at them over a property dispute, on February 8. Sion hospital, where the family is convalescing. FILE PIC The child’s mother, 40, and her daughters sustained burn injuries in the attack and are undergoing treatment at Sion Hospital. The Nirmal Nagar police on Monday arrested two sisters in connection with the case and are on the lookout for their parents. On February 8 at 12.30 pm, the accused couple and their two daughters burst into the victims’ Bandra East residence, catching the seven-year-old boy’s mother and two daughters off guard. ILLUSTRATIONS/UDAY MOHITE The family The boy’s mother and father got married 20 years ago, but the latter succumbed to kidney stone-related complications last year. His widow was residing with her daughters, aged between 17 and 18 years, and son in a 1BHK flat. An argument then ensued, with the accused demanding that the victims vacate their home. This culminated in violence, with the accused assaulting the mother and daughters in a bid to get them to leave. Hearing their cries, the boy intervened, but his arm was fractured in the scuffle The accused The accused are the boy’s paternal uncle, his wife and their daughters, aged between 20 and 21 years. The Nirmal Nagar police arrested two daughters on Monday, and their parents are absconding. The seven-year-old boy who was brutally attacked by his father’s kin on February 8 (right) the boy’s mother, who sustained 25 per cent burn injuries, at Sion Hospital The strife After the husband’s death, the woman’s in-laws allegedly started harassing her, stating that their home should be handed over to them. Arguments turned violent many times, and the accused forcefully entered the house multiple times in a bid to evict its occupants. One of the child’s sisters, who received minor burn injuries to her face. Pics/By Special Arrangement The violence The boy’s mother sustained 25 per cent burn injuries, as per hospital officials. Her face, stomach, hands and left thigh were badly scalded. She will be shifted to Kasturba Hospital for further treatment. While one daughter received 7.5 per cent burn injuries to her head, hand, and wrist, the other received minor burn injuries to her face.
17 February,2026 07:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaAn Uttar Pradesh-based developer has alleged that a group of people have threatened him of dire consequences following an extortion bid at his under-construction site in Kandivali area of Mumbai. On his complaint, a case of alleged unlawful assembly, assault, and extortion has been registered after a serious incident at an under-construction site in the Charkop area of Kandivali West, officials said. The complainant, a 55-year-old businessman and developer, alleged that a group of individuals forcibly entered his construction premises. According to the complaint, the accused — said to be members of a state-level political party — allegedly forced open the iron gate after the security guard refused them entry. The guard was reportedly abused and physically assaulted during the incident, officials said. Rs 10 lakh demand and threats The group allegedly demanded Rs10 lakh from the complainant, warning that the factory would be shut down if the payment was not made. One of the accused is said to have spoken to the employer over the phone, claiming that the demand had been ongoing for six months. The accused allegedly suggested that scrap material be sold to arrange the money. CCTV cameras damaged Before leaving the site, the accused allegedly vandalised CCTV cameras and took away the DVR system. They also reportedly snatched a worker’s mobile phone, deleted video recordings of the incident, and later returned the device. Police investigation underway Police have registered a case based on the businessman’s complaint. The police are reviewing available CCTV footage and gathering further evidence to identify and arrest those involved. Further investigation is ongoing.
16 February,2026 09:55 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanDays after fire outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Mumbai’s Juhu area, the Mumbai Crime Branch has cracked the case in a major breakthrough, arresting six more accused. With the fresh arrests, the police said, a total of 11 people has been so far in nabbed including the main shooter in connection with the incident. The firing took place on February 1, when unidentified assailants opened fire outside Shetty’s home, triggering panic in the vicinity. Firing at Shetty's residence came after series of incidents threatening Bollywood celebrities and culprits claiming to be from from Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The case was initially registered at Juhu Police Station (Cr. No. 126/2026) and later transferred to the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Crime Branch for a thorough probe. MCOCA invoked after key breakthrough According to officials, five accused were arrested in the first phase of the investigation, following which stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) were invoked. Along with the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Haryana STF, the Mumbai Crime Branch apprehended six more suspects in recent days. Police confirmed that the key accused who allegedly fired at the filmmaker’s residence is among those recently arrested. All 11 accused have been remanded to police custody until Tuesday. The operation was conducted under the supervision of senior Mumbai Police officials, including Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti, Joint CP (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam, Additional CP (Crime) Shailesh Balkawade, and DCP (Detection) Raj Tilak Roushan. Officials said further investigation is ongoing to determine the broader conspiracy behind the attack. Firing outside Rohit Shetty’s home planned from Pune Earlier in February, the Mumbai Anti-Extortion Cell arrested four persons from Pune in connection with the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu. Police also seized the two-wheeler used in the crime. Investigators have established that the arrested accused were in contact with Shubham Lonkar, a resident of Akola and an alleged member of the Bishnoi gang, who police say masterminded the firing. Lonkar later claimed responsibility for the attack through social media posts. He is also one of the accused in the Baba Siddique murder case. Police said that one of the arrested accused, Swapnil Bandu Sakat, was in direct contact with Lonkar and was actively involved in planning the incident. Accused arrested Swapnil Bandu Sakat, 23, unemployed and a resident of Vadgaon, Pune. Police say he was in regular contact with Lonkar and helped plan the firing. Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji, 19, a college student and resident of Gulmohar Society, Dhayari, Pune. He allegedly helped arrange funds to purchase weapons and the two-wheeler. Siddharth Deepak Yenpure, 19, a delivery executive and resident of Amrapali Society, Dhayari Phata, Pune. He allegedly helped collect funds and arrange the two-wheeler. Aditya Dnyaneshwar Gayaki, 19, a salesman and resident of Karve Nagar, Pune. Police say he purchased the two-wheeler for Rs 30,000 and handed it over to the shooter. A fifth accused, the shooter, is still absconding. Police teams are conducting searches to trace him. What happened at the spot According to police, Rohit Shetty returned to his residence at Shetty Tower in Juhu around 10 pm on Saturday. At around 12.45 am, he was on the seventh floor having dinner with his family. Two bodyguards and two police personnel were present as part of his security detail.
16 February,2026 04:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOne person was injured and the traffic on the Ghodbunder Road was hit after a container truck crashed into 12 vehicles in Thane district of Maharashtra on Sunday, officials said. According to the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), a major road accident took place at around 4:39 pm near the police outpost at Gaimukh on the Ghodbunder Road in Thane (West), after a heavy container vehicle lost control and rammed into several vehicles. The traffic police officials said that the container bearing hit at least 12 vehicles travelling on the road, causing damage to a total of 13 vehicles including the driver's own truck. The police said that the driver of the heavy container lost control of the vehicle. After the accident, the driver reportedly abandoned the vehicle at the scene and fled. It said that a probe has been launched for further investigations and establish the identity of the driver who is currently unknown. The Thane traffic police officers and staff immediately reached the spot and managed the situation, the RDMC said. One person injured According to the officials, one person was injured in the incident. Local citizens rushed the injured individual to a nearby hospital for treatment. The condition of the injured person has not yet been officially disclosed. "The damaged vehicles include auto-rickshaws and several cars such as Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Hyundai Aura, MG Hector, Hyundai Tucson, Maruti Suzuki Tour, Maruti Suzuki A-Star, Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, and Hyundai Creta," a civic official said. Traffic restored The Thane traffic police said that the road was cleared and reopened for regular movement within about 40 minutes of the accident. All accident-affected vehicles were moved to the side of the road by around 5:18 pm, the officials said, adding that the traffic on Ghodbunder Road was restored shortly afterwards. An investigation is underway to trace the container driver and determine the exact cause of the crash, the officials said. "The investigations into the incident are underway and efforts are being made to trace the driver of the vehicle that caused the accident," said an official.
15 February,2026 09:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA decomposed body was found in a well, estimated to be around 20 to 25 feet deep, at IC Colony in Borivali West on Friday afternoon, February 13. The deceased has been identified as Janak, a resident of Ganpat Patil Nagar. According to the police, residents noticed a foul smell emanating from the area near the well and alerted the authorities. Personnel from the local police station rushed to the spot and retrieved the body from the well. Senior Inspector Harish Gawli said police suspect that the victim may have accidentally fallen into the well two nights ago. “The man was reported missing, and his decomposed body was later recovered from the well. At present, we have only his first name, Janak, as provided by his family. Further details are being verified,” he said. The body has been sent for a post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death. An accidental death case has been registered, and further investigation is underway. February 13Day when the deceased was found
14 February,2026 09:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaA police sub-inspector posted at Mahim Police Station in Mumbai was duped of Rs 96,896 after cyber fraudsters posed as officials of Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) and tricked him into downloading a malicious mobile application, officials said on Friday. According to Mahim Police Station, the 55-year-old officer received a message on February 7 at around 1.27 pm while he was on duty. The SMS warned that his MGL gas connection would be disconnected by 7.30 pm and asked him to contact a person identifying himself as “Manish Rathore” on a given mobile number. Believing the message to be genuine, the officer called the number later in the evening. The caller claimed to be an MGL officer and sent an APK file titled “MGL GAS UNBLOCK FILE” via WhatsApp, instructing him to download it to avoid disconnection. The fraud Soon after installing the file, two unauthorised transactions were carried out from his bank account linked to his mobile number. Between 1.27 pm and 6.10 pm, a total of Rs 96,896.80 was debited through point-of-sale (POS) transactions — Rs 95,896.80 under the name “MUTHOOTMERCANTIL” and Rs 1,000 towards “AMAZON GIFT CARD”. Realising he had been cheated, the officer lodged a complaint on the cyber crime portal, following which an FIR was registered under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police have begun investigating the unknown accused and are tracing the mobile numbers used in the fraud. What to do when cyber fraud targets you - Dial 1930 immediately to report online financial fraud - Lodge a complaint at: www.cybercrime.gov.in - Report within the “golden hour” to increase the chances of fund recovery - Keep transaction details, screenshots and bank messages ready - Inform your bank and block cards/net banking access immediately Police have advised citizens not to download APK files from unknown sources or respond to messages threatening utility disconnection.
13 February,2026 09:16 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerThe Thane Police in Maharashtra have booked 1,013 persons under a special women’s safety drive carried out by the Damini Squad in Zone 3 since January. The operation was conducted across Kalyan and Dombivli to prevent harassment and improve safety for women and girl students. The Damini Squad carried out checks at markets, bus stops, shopping malls, gardens, parks, isolated areas and near schools and colleges. Police said surprise inspections were conducted around educational institutions. Action was taken against individuals found loitering suspiciously or causing nuisance in these areas. Preventive actions According to officials, preventive action was taken against 62 persons under Section 110, 484 persons under Sections 112 and 117 and 470 persons under Sections 4 and 21 of the Maharashtra Police Act. The measures were aimed at deterring harassment and maintaining public order. Appeal to citizens Police have urged citizens and parents to immediately dial 112 and inform Kalyan Police if they notice any instance of harassment or suspicious activity. Officials added that such special drives will continue regularly in the zone to ensure women’s safety.
13 February,2026 06:27 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerA Nashik-based man who had in December last year left a snake in the Vande Bharat Express train was nabbed from Thane district in Maharashtra after almost 50 days of manhunt, officials said. They said that the Central Railway's Railway Protection Force (RPF) has arrested the man accused of placing a snake inside a coach of the Vande Bharat Express train. The accused, identified as Jagan Arjun Bhale (37), a resident of Nashik district in Maharashtra, was apprehended from Mumbra on February 12, 2026. The incident took place on December 27, 2025, when a snake was discovered in the toilet of Coach C-16 of Train No. 22225 Vande Bharat Express. Railway staff immediately closed the toilet and informed the Control Room. The train continued its journey, and the snake was safely rescued at Solapur station. CCTV footage later showed an unidentified person placing the snake inside the toilet. Case registered under Railways Act Following the incident, a case was registered under Sections 145(B), 147 and 153 of the Railways Act, 1989, and an investigation was launched. With the help of CCTV footage and a tip-off from an informer, the RPF traced and arrested the accused from Mumbra. During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to the offence. The accused was produced before the Railway Court in Kalyan, which granted 14 days of Magisterial Custody Remand. A detailed investigation is now underway. Central Railway officials praised the RPF team for their swift action and efforts in ensuring passenger safety. Thief flees away with gold and cash worth Rs 32 lakh; held in West Bengal Targeting a passenger on board Vidarbha Express train in Maharashtra, a thief allegedly fled away with gold worth Rs 26.88 lakh but was later held in in West Bengal, officials said on Thursday. According to the officials, the Mumbai Railway Police have arrested the 'habitual thief' for allegedly stealing a passenger’s bag on the train. The police have also recovered stolen property worth Rs 26,88,014, including 186.23 grams of gold jewellery and cash. The incident took place on January 17, 2026 on Train No. 12104 Vidarbha Express. The complainant was travelling in Coach S3, Seat No. 32. While he was asleep, the train passed Nashik Road railway station at around 2:42 am. During this time, an unknown person stole his green sack bag. The stolen bag contained gold jewellery and cash worth Rs 32,73,714. Based on the complaint, CSMT Railway Police under Section 305(C) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). CCTV footage helped identify the accused After the case was registered, the Crime Branch of Kalyan Unit 3 immediately began an investigation. Police officers checked CCTV footage from railway stations between Nashik and CSMT where the Vidarbha Express stopped. The footage showed a suspect boarding the train at Dadar railway station and getting down at CSMT railway station. He was seen carrying a green sack bag matching the description given by the complainant. Further investigation through police records and informers revealed that the suspect was a known habitual offender. He was identified as Jahir Jamal Sheikh, aged 28, originally from Malda district in West Bengal. Arrest in West Bengal Police teams from Kalyan Unit 3 travelled to Malda, West Bengal, after receiving technical information and local inputs. After a search operation, the accused was located and arrested. During interrogation, the accused confessed to committing the theft. Police recovered part of the stolen property from him. Stolen property recovered The recovered property includes 4 gold bars weighing 90.690 grams worth Rs 13,00,135, 2 gold bangles weighing 36.200 grams worth Rs 4,92,296, 1 gold bangle weighing 28.500 grams worth Rs 3,95,656, 1 gold bracelet weighing 16.480 grams worth Rs 2,30,177, 1 gold chain with pendant weighing 14.360 grams worth Rs 2,00,250 and cash of Rs 56,500 (113 notes of Rs 500). An OPPO mobile phone worth Rs 13,000, allegedly purchased using the stolen cash was also recovered, the officials said. The total recovered property is valued at Rs 26,88,014, they said. The operation was carried out under the guidance of senior railway police officials including the Commissioner of Railway Police, Mumbai, and other senior officers. The investigation team was led by Senior Police Inspector Vijay Khedkar, with Assistant Police Inspector Deepak Patil as the Investigating Officer, along with other officers and staff from the Crime Branch, Kalyan Unit 3 and the Technical Branch.
13 February,2026 05:21 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
