The Thane Police in Maharashtra arrested a 60-year-old man for allegedly killing his son and later attempted to pass it off as an accident, an official said, reported the PTI. The police said that the suspect allegedly killed his son in Thane district after he beat up his parents, as per the PTI. The incident took place on Wednesday morning at Garibacha Pada in Dombivili township, he said. The deceased, a 30-year-old man, who was a habitual drinker, allegedly beat up his parents in an inebriated state, the official from Vishnu Nagar police station said on Wednesday, according to the PTI. His father then allegedly beat him up and strangled him, the official said. The accused told the police that his son accidentally fell at home, got injured and died, he said, the PTI reported on Thursday. The police initially registered an accidental death report (ADR). However, the autopsy report indicated that the man was beaten and strangulated to death, the official said, the news agency reported. The police arrested the deceased's father on Wednesday night and registered a case against him under Indian Penal Code section 302 (murder), he said. Meanwhile, in an another incident, two children missing for hours were found dead inside a parked car at Antop Hill in central Mumbai, with the police suspecting that the kids lost their lives due to suffocation, an official said on Thursday, according to the PTI. The car was locked from inside and it appears that the children could not unlock it, the official said. Muskan Shaikh (5) and Sajid Shaikh (7) were playing outside their homes, where the car was parked, on Wednesday afternoon. When the children did not return home till evening, their parents started a search for them. Subsequently, they also lodged a missing complaint at the Antop Hill police station, the official said. A few hours later, an onlooker found the children lying unconscious inside the car. The vehicle doors were opened and the kids were rushed to the hospital but doctors declared them dead, the official said. Prima facie, it seems the kids were suffocated to death as they were locked inside the car, the official said. Police are examining footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area and probing all possible angles, he said, adding that an accidental death case has been registered for now. (with PTI inputs)
25 April,2024 03:37 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe police in Maharashtra's Thane district have registered a case against a couple and their son for allegedly cheating a Thane builder of nearly Rs 42 lakh over the sale of land, an official said on Thursday, reported news agency PTI. In his complaint, the 27-year-old Thane builder, who lives in the Bhiwandi area, said the accused and he had signed an agreement a few months ago towards the sale of more than 15 acres of land in the district, reported PTI. The Thane builder alleged that he and his family paid Rs 42 lakh to the accused in connection with the deal but the accused neither got the land transferred nor refunded the money, reported PTI. While the accused sold the land to others, they abused and threatened to harm the builder whenever he sought a refund, the official said citing the complaint. Acting on a complaint by the builder, the Shanti Nagar police in Bhiwandi registered a case against the couple and their son on Tuesday, the official added, reported PTI. In another case, a director of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) at Vashi was on Wednesday arrested by Navi Mumbai police in a corruption case, an official said, reported PTI. Sanjay Pansare, the accused, was allegedly involved in a scam concerning a contract to build toilets at the APMC, reported PTI. The alleged scam caused a loss of more than Rs 7 crore to the APMC, as per the FIR, reported PTI. The Navi Mumbai crime branch has already arrested an official and two contractors in the case. Meanwhile, a case has been registered here against four persons for fraudulently transferring Rs 47.6 lakh from the account of the Maharashtra School Education and Sports department by forging cheques, police said on Wednesday, reported PTI. The fraud came to light on March 4, and after an enquiry, a case was registered against Namita Bagh, Pramod Singh, Tap Kumar and Jeetan Khatun, an official said, reported PTI. The fabricated cheques with forged signatures were cleared at Kolkata and Chennai, reported PTI. The concerned bank on Wednesday compensated, as per the RBI guidelines, the loss caused to the government department by depositing the amount in its account as bank officials had failed to scrutinise the forged cheques, the police official said, reported PTI. Further probe is underway, he said. (With inputs from PTI)
25 April,2024 02:24 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentRoorkee taluka in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand has recently garnered attention due to the rampant distribution of drugs, such as heroin, nationwide, with Mumbai being a significant hotspot. A notable quantity of heroin is purportedly being smuggled from this region. In the last two years, the Mumbai Anti Narcotics Cell, notably the Kandivali Unit, has apprehended over seven individuals linked to drug-related activities. In a recent incident, the Kandivali ANC unit apprehended four individuals and seized heroin weighing approximately 300 grams, valued at Rs 1.25 crore, from their possession. The accused, identified as Ajay Saroj (27), Zakir Ahamad (27), Shahrukh Shehzad (35), and Navshad Safdar (40), are residents of Roorkee Taluka. Based on intelligence, the officers set up a trap and apprehended Navshad and Shahrukh from Shankar Mandir Lane in Kandivali on 20 April, seizing drugs. Following leads from them, they conducted a raid at a residence in Gopchar Pada, Virar, where they arrested Ajay and Zakir, confiscating approximately 300 grams of heroin worth about Rs 1.25 crore in total. Further investigation uncovered that all the accused hail from Roorkee taluka in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand and have been engaged in this illegal activity for years, although this marks their initial arrest in Mumbai. Reports indicate the existence of a village named Shukrunda in Roorkee Taluka, from where three of the arrested individuals originate. Prior to this incident, Mumbai Police, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies from other states, have apprehended individuals in drug-related cases, with a notable proportion originating from Roorkee taluka and specific locales within it, including Shukrunda Village. The modus operandi of these accused entails one of their associates renting a house in the city where they temporarily reside. Upon selling the drugs, they retreat, and another group assumes control of the rented property. Numerous individuals either arrive with drugs or procure them from Ratlam and Rajasthan upon reaching the area. Those transporting drugs to Mumbai operate on a commission basis, delivering the goods before returning via bus travel. Recently, the Shahu Nagar police apprehended an individual with heroin drugs, who incidentally turned out to be the cousin brother of the arrested accused Navshad, the officer added. The accused have been booked and arrested under various sections of the Narcotics Act, presented before the court, and subsequently remanded to police custody, the officer concluded.
25 April,2024 09:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai busted an international drug conspiracy, seizing 2.170 kilograms of MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy) and arrested an African national. The drugs were worth approximately Rs 2 crore. The operation, which commenced in October 2023, was carried out following extensive technical and financial examinations by the NCB. On October 19, 2023, officials acted on intelligence and intercepted a parcel from the Netherlands at the Foreign Post Office in Mumbai. Upon closer inspection, what looked to be benign objects such as toys and crayons revealed a cleverly concealed stockpile of MDMA tablets. The shipment contained 4,970 MDMA tablets totalling 2.170 kilograms. "In pursuance of intensive technical collaboration with the financial investigation, NCB-Mumbai has successfully cracked an international syndicate which was involved in international drug trafficking. Based on technical intelligence, information was gathered wherein a parcel containing a huge quantity of high-value drugs was being sourced from the Netherlands and transported into Mumbai," NCB said in its statement. It added, "An active analysis led to the identification and detection of the said parcel on 19.10.2023 at Foreign Post Office, Mumbai. When the parcel was unboxed, the contents had non-suspecting items such as toys, crayons, pens, etc. However, on closer examination, it was observed that the packaging cardboard box was abnormal. When one side was cut open, layers of multi-coloured MDMA / ecstasy tablets were found concealed between the layers of flap. Accordingly, when other flaps of the package box were cut open, furthermore MDMA tablets were recovered. A total of 4970 MDMA/Ecstasy tablets weighing 2.170 kgs were seized." The inquiry revealed a sophisticated worldwide drug trafficking network, forcing officials to look further into the syndicate's operations. Despite efforts to avoid detection, a thorough investigation revealed a money trail that led to the identity of an African national living in Navi Mumbai. The suspect, known as B.O. Afo, was captured at his home, where additional incriminating evidence was discovered. Furthermore, other bank accounts, both domestic and international, associated with the suspect have been identified for inquiry. BO Afo, the accused arrested/ Sourced Photo Further investigation found that Afo has been in India since 2018, despite the expiration of his visa. This discovery highlights the syndicate's worldwide nature and operations in India. The recovered medicines, intended for distribution in many cities including Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Goa, and Hyderabad, illustrate the widespread reach of the syndicate. Since the quantity of the drugs was huge and had international linkage, an extensive investigation was initiated. The syndicate had carefully maintained the technical evasive manoeuvre to avoid any identification. However, in the course of an in-depth investigation, credible technical analysis led to the identification of a financial trail. The information was further developed which led to the identification of an African national based in the Navi Mumbai area, it further read. "Prolonged surveillance and discreet analysis inferred the convincing data after which the African national named B.O.Afo was intercepted at his house. Incriminating evidence along with multiple bank details of international and domestic banks have been collected which are presently subject to further investigation. It has been noted that BO Afo came to India in 2018 and has been staying since then even after the expiry of the Visa. His other documents are also being verified. The seized drug would have been distributed to multiple cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Goa, Hyderabad, etc. A further in-depth investigation is underway to identify the other key associates of the larger syndicate," the statement further read. Amit Ghawate, Additional Director of NCB Mumbai, emphasised the thorough scope of the ongoing investigation, which aims to identify all major syndicate associates.
24 April,2024 10:16 PM IST | Mumbai | Faisal TandelA dispute over providing a home for rehabilitation resulted in the death of one brother at the hands of another in the Jogeshwari area of Mumbai. The deceased, identified as Subodh Sawant, died in this altercation. Meghwadi Police arrested Deepak Sawant in connection with the case. Subodh resided in a chawl in Jogeshwari East with his family, the chawl was slated for redevelopment. The home, registered under his mother's name, was to be replaced with a new one as part of the redevelopment; however, Subodh was opposed to the idea. This had caused frequent arguments with his family. On Tuesday, an argument between Deepak and Subodh escalated, resulting in Deepak striking Subodh on the head with a hard object. Subodh sustained severe injuries and was rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately, he succumbed to his wounds. Upon receiving the information, Meghwadi police swiftly arrived at the scene, registering a case and apprehending Deepak.
24 April,2024 08:17 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a gold smuggling syndicate in Mumbai and seized the precious metal, cash and other valuables of Rs 10.48 crore, a DRI official said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI Four persons, including two African nationals, were arrested following a search operation at a gold melting facility in south Mumbai on Monday, he said. The DRI had received an input that gold smuggled from Africa through the Mumbai international airport was being processed at a melting facility in Zaveri Bazar here to remove the foreign markings and it was then being diverted to the local market, the official said in a statement, reported PTI. During the search at the melting facility, the officials seized 9.31 kg of gold in various forms, including of foreign-origin, and 16.66 kg of silver. They nabbed the unit operator and a recruiter, who was responsible for arranging carriers, collecting the smuggled gold from African nationals for melting and further processing, the statement said, reported PTI. The recruiter was a key member of the gold smuggling syndicate. He used to collect gold from carriers who were African nationals, get it processed and hand it over to a buyer nearby, it said. After the interrogation of the accused persons, a search was conducted at the recruiter's office premises and the DRI recovered USD 190000 in cash which had been allegedly handed over to him by a buyer as advance payment for the smuggled gold, the statement said. Another team was sent to search the buyer's office premises but he fled before the DRI sleuths reached there, he said. During the search, 351 grams of cut pieces of foreign-origin gold bars, 1,818 grams of silver and Rs 1.92 crore in cash were recovered from there, the statement said. The DRI personnel came to know that the African nationals from whom the recruiter had collected the gold were staying in nearby hotels, reported PTI. Accordingly, a raid was conducted at the hotel and two persons who allegedly smuggled the gold and handed it over to the recruiter were intercepted, the DRI said, reported PTI. All the four accused admitted to their involvement in the smuggling of gold into India following which they were arrested under provisions of the Customs Act, it said. (With inputs from PTI)
24 April,2024 12:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Malwani Police in Mumbai have booked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh Rane for his alleged hate speeches in Malwani during the 'Jan Aakrosh Rally' held on March 3 this year, an official said. The Maharashtra Police informed the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that criminal cases have been registered against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane for alleged hate speeches in Malwani, Mankhurd, and Ghatkopar areas of the city. The FIR have also been registered against MLA Geeta Jain for alleged hate speech in Mira-Bhayander from January to March this year. According to police sources, on March 3, a public protest rally took place in Malwani, despite local police withholding permission due to concerns about potential disturbances to law and order. The rally which was attended by Nitesh Rane and hundreds of BJP supporters and various Hindu organisations, proceeded nonetheless. After the rally, Nitesh Rane reportedly delivered a speech at the BMC ground near Malwani Gate number one, during which he allegedly made derogatory remarks about a particular community and specifically targeted religious leaders and social workers of the community. In response, several community organisations tried to lodge complaints against Nitesh Rane with the police. However, no action was taken against him. But, FIR was registered against the rally organiser for conducting the event without permission, as a procedural measure, sources added. Similar incidents had occurred in the Mira-Bhayander area involving sitting MLA Geeta Jain who had allegedly made offensive remarks against a particular religion. In protest against these actions, including Nitesh Rane's remarks, an activist Jameel Merchant and others had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court. During the hearing, the court directed the police to provide details of the actions taken on their complaints. In response, the Maharashtra Police stated that cases of hate speech had been registered against them in various police stations. Earlier, an FIR was registered against the organiser Bhagwan Thakur in Malwani Police Station under Section 188 of the IPC on March 5. Subsequently, Sections 153A, 504, and 506 were added to the same FIR, and Nitesh Rane’s name was included in the FIR on Monday, said an officer from Malwani Police Station.
23 April,2024 10:15 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA 61-year-old murder accused who had been on the run for 34 years was arrested from Mumbai, the police said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. According to the PTI, based on a tip-off, the police laid a trap and apprehended the accused, Jahangir Sheikh, from the western suburb of Andheri in neighbouring Mumbai on Monday evening, an official said. The accused was involved in a murder that took place in a residential building in Mira Road in December 1990, assistant commissioner of police (Crime) Madan Ballal of the MBVV police said on Tuesday, as per the PTI. Sheikh is allegedly one of the six accused involved in stabbing and killing the victim, Gabrial alias Sudhakar Kristan Amanna (22), during a party, he said, the news agency reported on Tuesday. The police had earlier arrested five accused in the case while Sheikh had remained absconding since, the official said. Two arrested with firearms in Thane Meanwhile, in an another incident, two men have been arrested here with several firearms and ammunition, police said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. According to the PTI, the vigilance has been stepped up in the city in view of the Lok Sabha elections, said deputy commissioner of police (crime) Shivraj Patil. He said that on April 18, Shambu Suresh Mahato (35), a resident of Bihar, was intercepted in Saket Road area and four pistols, two country-made revolvers, a magazine and 18 live cartridges were seized from his possession, as per the news agency. Shambu Suresh Mahato had been reportedly sentenced to imprisonment in a murder case in Rabale area in 2011 and allegedly got into arms trafficking after serving the sentence, the official said, the news agency reported on Tuesday. On Monday, police arrested Shebahadur Navbahadur Kharki, a resident of Chandigarh, in Wagle Estate area here and seized two country-made pistols and four live cartridges from his possession, reported the PTI. Both the suspects were booked under relevant provisions of the Arms Act and IPC, the police said. The police were further probing the purpose for which the firearms were meant, the DCP said. (with PTI inputs)
23 April,2024 07:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTwo men have been arrested in Thane district of Maharashtra with several firearms and ammunition, the Thane Police said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. According to the PTI, deputy commissioner of police (crime) Shivraj Patil said that the vigilance has been stepped up in the city in view of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Explaining about the seizure of weapons, the DCP said, "On April 18, Shambu Suresh Mahato (35), a resident of Bihar, was intercepted in Saket Road area and four pistols, two country-made revolvers, a magazine and 18 live cartridges were seized from his possession," as per the PTI. Shambu Mahato had been sentenced to imprisonment in a murder case in Rabale area in 2011 and got into arms trafficking after serving the sentence, the official said, the news agency reported on Tuesday. On Monday, police arrested Shebahadur Navbahadur Kharki, a resident of Chandigarh, in Wagle Estate area in Thane district and seized two country-made pistols and four live cartridges from his possession. Both were booked under relevant provisions of the Arms Act and IPC. The Thane Police were probing the purpose for which the firearms were meant, the DCP said. Mumbai Crime Branch recovers weapons used in Salman Khan firing case from Tapi river Meanwhile, in an another incident, the Mumbai Crime Branch that has been probing the Salman Khan firing case, on Tuesday, recovered two pistols, magazines and bullets from the Tapi river in Surat, Gujarat during a search operation to recover weapons that were allegedly used in the firing outside Salman Khan's residence, an official said on Tuesday. The Mumbai Crime Branch has recovered two pistols, three magazines and 13 bullets during the search that began on Monday, the official said. A team of 12 officials, including encounter specialist and senior police inspector Daya Nayak had been investigating the entire case. The search was being conducted with the help of scuba divers, he said. The two arrested accused, Vicky Gupta (24) and Sagar Pal (21), allegedly fired outside Salman Khan's house at the Galaxy Apartment in the Bandra area of Mumbai on April 14 and then fled the spot on a motorbike. Based on the technical surveillance, they were apprehended on April 16 from the premises of a temple at Mata No Madh near Bhuj town in Gujarat by joint teams of the Mumbai and Kutch police. They were subsequently handed over to the Mumbai police for further investigation. (with PTI inputs)
23 April,2024 06:53 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra Police on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that they have registered cases against BJP MLAs Nitesh Rane and Geeta Jain after finding that they gave offensive speeches during communal violence in Thane district in January. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Manjusha Deshpande last week asked the police commissioners concerned to personally verify if the speeches delivered by the two leaders were offensive and provocative. Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar on Tuesday told the court that preliminary verification shows the speeches made by Rane and Jain amid the communal violence that erupted at Mira Bhayandar (in Thane district) in January this year were offensive. Venegaonkar said Rane is accused of making hate speeches at his rallies in Malvani, Mankhurd and Ghatkopar areas of Mumbai. Jain is accused of giving hate speech at a rally in Mira Bhayandar, he said. The FIRs have been lodged against them by police under Sections 153A (promoting enmity among people on ground of religion), 504 (intentional insult with an intent to provoke) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, the prosecutor said. He further said that 13 separate FIRs have been lodged against other persons in connection with the communal violence that erupted in Mira Bhayandar between January 22 and 26. A probe is on in all the cases, Venegaonkar said. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on June 19. The court was hearing a bunch of petitions against the alleged inflammatory speeches made by Rane, Jain and Telangana MLA T Raja Singh at Mira Road in Thane district in January this year. The pleas claimed the speeches were made after communal violence in the area and sought that an FIR be registered against the MLAs. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
23 April,2024 04:49 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIA 40-year-old man from Thane district in Maharashtra has been detained for reportedly practising black magic and claiming to have the ability to fight off "evil spirits." A woman from Kisan Nagar had requested the Thane man's assistance for her daughter, who frequently became ill after being separated from her husband. Despite eight visits to the accused for therapy, her daughter's condition remained unchanged, reported PTI. According to the report, the accused had advised the woman to take her daughter and other family members to a crematorium on the Padgha-Borivili road on April 20 night, where he would perform rituals to rid them of "evil spirits" for a charge of Rs 5,000. The woman after reaching the spot, per the PTI report, found out that six to eight other persons were also present on the spot on the advice of the Thane man who claimed he would help them get rid of "evil spirits". The villagers, however, discovered his activities, they caught him and turned him over to the police. He has been charged under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil, and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act 2013 in response to the woman's complaint, the news agency report further stated. In a separate incident, a 40-year-old history-sheeter was detained for attempting to murder a woman during a heist in Thane district. According to another PTI report, the accused entered the woman's home in Baneli village, Titwala area, at about 1 pm on Monday with the intent to rob her. When the woman struggled, he stabbed her repeatedly with a knife. Her calls for aid drew the attention of neighbours, who captured the perpetrator and handed him over to the police, the report added. The accused, who has a history of robbery charges lodged against him in numerous police stations throughout the area, has been charged with various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including attempted murder. Meanwhile, in another case from Thane district, the Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested a man for accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 on behalf of an official from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
23 April,2024 01:45 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
