The Pydhonie Police in south Mumbai has apprehended an accused involved in a theft case that took place around 33 years ago, an official said. According to the police, The police began to trace the suspect after the matter came to light when a Mumbai court issued a non bailable warrant against him, "The police was successful and tracing and nabbing him based on technical information in case that took place around 33 years," an official said. The suspect was identifed as Pavan Modi, he said. Through technical investigation the police nabbed him after tracking him for 3-4 months. He was nabbed from Pune in Maharashtra, said a police officer. Pavan Modi was booked under section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code in 1990 and a case was active in a Mumbai court since then.
26 July,2024 09:28 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheThe Bombay High Court (HC) on Friday rejected the pleas for default bail or bail on technical grounds filed by five people accused in the Elgar Parishad Maoist links case. A division bench of Justices Ajay Gadkari and Shyam Chandak rejected the applications filed by Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Sudhir Dhawade, and Rona Wilson. The detailed order is awaited. Gadling originally filed an application for default bail in 2018 in the sessions court when the Pune Police were investigating the case. The application termed the 90-day extension granted by the sessions court to the police for filing a charge sheet as "illegal", and hence, the accused were entitled to bail under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). In his petition before, Gadling claimed that the special court did not consider the fact that the Pune court had "no jurisdiction to extend the time for completion of the investigation". Sixteen persons were arrested in the case, including Jesuit priest Stan Swamy, who died in a private hospital while in judicial custody. The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in the district during the bicentenary celebrations of the Bhima Koregaon battle. One person died in the violence while several others were injured. The Pune Police also claimed that Maoists backed the conclave. The probe was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). (With PTI inputs)
26 July,2024 06:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA special MCOCA Court in Mumbai has issued standing non bailable warrant against Anmol Bishnoi and Rohit Godara in Salman Khan firing case. Earlier this month, Mumbai Police's crime branch had filed a detailed chargesheet in Salman Khan firing case before the special MCOCA court in the city, an official said. According to the police sources, the chargesheet has been submitted against the arrested and the wanted accused in the case including Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi. Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, had purportedly claimed responsibility for the shooting outside the home of Bollywood actor Salman Khan on Sunday morning. Anmol, who is wanted in India and is believed to be living abroad, referred to the firing as a "trailer" in a Facebook post. He also warned the actor in the social media post. The social media post which was written in Hindi reads, "We want peace. If the only decision against oppression is war, then be it. Salman Khan, we have only shown you a trailer so that you understand our strength and do not test it. This is the first and last warning. After this, bullets will not be fired outside the house only. I do not have a habit of talking too much," the post read. In April, two motorcyclists had opened fire outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's home. They had shot four bullets outside the Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai's Bandra west, where the actor lives, before fleeing. Following the incident, the Mumbai Police had stepped up security outside Salman Khan's home. Meanwhile, a lookout circular (LOC) was issued against Anmol Bishnoi in April in connection with the Salman Khan firing case, an official said, reported the PTI. Anmol Bishnoi is the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Anmol Bishnoi had earlier in a social media post claimed the responsibility for the firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's residence in Bandra west, the official said. Two men had shot multiple rounds at Salman Khan's home on April 14, the police had earlier said.
26 July,2024 06:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA 56-year-old man was arrested for allegedly running a prostitution racket in Thane district's Mira Road area, a police official said on Friday. According to assistant commissioner of police (crime) Madan Ballal, Dinesh Parmar, a resident of Dahisar in Mumbai, was held on July 24 after a raid on a hotel in Mira Road by the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell following a tip-off that was verified in a decoy operation, according to the news agency. "Two women who were rescued during the raid have been sent to a shelter home," Ballal said, according to PTI. Parmar was reportedly booked under Section 143 (3) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act for trafficking and other offences, the ACP said. Sex racket busted in Navi Mumbai, eight women rescued Eight women were rescued after a sex racket was busted by the Navi Mumbai Police. An autorickshaw driver was arrested in connection with the racket, reported PTI, citing an official on Saturday. The auto driver was identified as Pradeep Yadav. As per the PTI report, Yadav was arrested after police received a tip-off about a gang sending women to various lodges for prostitution after soliciting customers online, said inspector Prithviraj Ghorpade of the anti-human trafficking cell of Navi Mumbai police. With the help of a decoy customer, they recently nabbed Yadav, who used to ferry the women to hotels, the official said. Upon questioning the auto driver, one woman was rescued from a hotel room by the police. Based on her information, they rescued eight other women from a room at Shiravane in the Nerul area. Additionally, police also arrested two men, identified as Vishnu, alias Vikaskumar Janki Yadav (28), and Indrajit Indradev Prasad (63) from there. The suspected kingpin of the racket, Shambu Upadhyaya, is at large, the official said, reported PTI. An FIR has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Turbhe police station. Sex racket busted at salon in Nagpur; two booked The Nagpur police have busted a sex racket operating out of a salon in the city and booked two managers of the establishment, an official told PTI on Saturday. As per the PTI report, the social security branch (SSB) of the crime branch raided a salon on West High Court Road on Friday night and found a prostitution racket operating out of the premises, the official said. The police nabbed Akanksha alias Ritika alias Kumud Hiralal Meshram (26) and Sophia alias Neetu Zakir Sekh (30), who were managing the establishment, he said. The police also reportedly rescued three women who were forced into prostitution, he said. According to the news agency report, a case has been registered against the accused under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA) at Sitabuldi police station, the official said. (With inputs from PTI)
26 July,2024 05:14 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA Mumbai based businessman was held for allegedly creating a fake WhatsApp account using the name and photo of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel and sought money from some people abroad, a police officials said on Friday, reported the PTI. He also allegedly sought money from the members of Qatar's royal family, the officials said. The businessman who was identified as Rahul Kant, a resident of Juhu in Mumbai suburb had obtained the NCP leader's mobile phone number from a paid application, an official said, as per the PTI. He has been detained by the Maharashtra Cyber police, an official said. According to the PTI, Rahul Kant used Praful Patel's name and photo as DP to create a fake WhatsApp account of the latter and then started demanding money. He targeted people based abroad and they included members of Qatar's royal family, he said. The incident came to light on July 23, when an aide of Praful Patel, Vivek Agnihotri, approached Maharashtra Cyber officials with a complaint against an unidentified person seeking money, the official said. A case was registered and probe launched during which cyber unit officials tracked down the man in Juhu and detained him following interrogation, he said. The businessman was facing financial problems and hence used this modus operandi to make quick money, the official added, the news agency reported on Friday. Thane woman held for using forged papers to get Pakistani visa Meanwhile, in an another incident, The Thane Police in Maharashtra arrested a 24-year-old woman for allegedly forging documents to secure a Pakistani visa and visit the neighbouring country, an official said on Friday, reported the PTI. Sanam Khan, also known as Nagma Noor Maqsood, was arrested by the Vartak Nagar police on Thursday after three days of questioning, he said. She was produced in a court which remanded her in police custody for two days, the official said. According to the police, Khan used a fake identity under the name of Sanam Khan Rukh to obtain her Pakistani visa. She is accused of getting Aadhaar and PAN cards made with fake papers, as per the PTI. Khan, who is separated from her husband, lives with her mother in Thane. She reportedly befriended a man from Pakistan on social media after which she tried to get a visa to meet him, but was initially unsuccessful due to ¿lack of marriage documentation, an official had said earlier, as per the PTI. The woman later married the man virtually from India, obtained 'necessary' documents and travelled to Pakistan where they married again. Thane police launched a probe after discovering these details, he said, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
26 July,2024 03:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe police have added the charge of gang rape against three attendants of a temple arrested in connection with the murder of a 30-year-old woman in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Friday. A charge of gangrape has been additionally filed against the three people who were arrested in connection with the murder of a 30-year-old woman in Maharashtra's Thane district. An additional charge under 70 (1) (gang rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was added in the case apart from section 103(1) (murder), an official from the Shil Daighar police station said, reported PTI. The accused, Rajkumar Ramfer Pandey (54), Santoshkumar Ramyagna Mishra (45) and Shyamsunder Pyarchand Sharma (62), were attendants at a temple at Kalyan Phata in Thane, the official said. After the case was registered on July 9, the accused were arrested the next day, said the report. On July 6, the victim had left her house after a dispute with her in-laws and taken shelter in the temple on a hill top, where she was allegedly raped and killed by the trio. Her body was dumped in a valley and recovered on July 9, the official said. Thane: Rape victim dies in childbirth; case registered A case of rape has been registered at Vashi police station after an 18-year-old girl died in childbirth, reported PTI an official on Tuesday. After a 'zero' FIR was filed, it was transferred to Dighi police station in Raigad district as the alleged crime took place in Dighi, said the PTI report. The accused has been identified as Hemant, resident of Shriwardhan. He met the victim at a computer class and befriended her sometime last year. As per the complaint lodged by her parents, he allegedly raped her on two occasions, following which the girl became pregnant. The girl then shifted to Vashi with her parents. She was found lying in the bathroom in a pool of blood with a newly delivered male infant beside her On July 18. She was declared dead at hospital while the child died two days later. A case of rape under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 64 was registered while further probe is underway, the official said reported PTI. No arrest has been made in the case yet.
26 July,2024 01:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Worli police, while investigating the July 23 murder of a 52-year-old alleged extortionist, learnt that the deceased, Guru Siddappa Waghmare, had tattooed the names of 22 people on his thighs, suspected to be his enemies or who held grudges against him similar to Aamir Khan’s character in the 2008 film Ghajini. One of the names Waghmare had tattooed was that of Santosh Sherekar, the owner of Soft Touch Spa in Worli, who has been arrested for hiring hitmen to kill Waghmare and promising them Rs 6 lakh for the job. Due to his lifestyle, Waghmare was also known as Chulbul Pandey. Officers have also said that the deceased had been blackmailing the spa owner for a long time. The latter, frustrated by this, devised the murder plan over the past two months. Several previous attempts to eliminate Waghmare had failed, sources have revealed. “During the initial probe, we learned that multiple plots to eliminate Waghmare had failed. There was a plan to kill him on July 17, his birthday, but it did not succeed. On July 23, he was still celebrating his birthday at a bar in Sion and was drunk; the killers were supposed to eliminate him there but didn’t get the chance. Similarly, he later went to the Worli spa, where the plan was finally executed.” The first ten names of Guru Siddappa Waghmare’s enemies, which were tattooed on his thigh According to the police, the deceased used to extort money from several people, often by filing RTI applications, impersonating a journalist and working as a police informer to carry out raids on bars and other establishments. “He had tattooed the names of 22 enemies on his thighs, some of whom were his family members. It appears he felt threatened by these individuals. One of them turned out to be his killer,” an official said. Four taken into custody Apart from the Worli Police, the Mumbai Crime Branch’s Unit 3 has taken four individuals into custody from Nalasopara and Kota in connection with the murder. Of the quartet, two have been arrested, while two others are being questioned. Police sources revealed that one of the arrested individuals is Mohammad Firoz Ansari, a 26-year-old apprehended from Nalasopara. Another suspect, Saqib Ansari, was arrested in Kota. According to the police, Waghmare became enemies with Firoz Ansari after providing information that led to a raid and subsequent closure of his spa a year ago. “In response, Ansari and Santosh Sherekar hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Waghmare. Saqib Ansari came from Delhi, and both had been tracking Waghmare’s movements for the past ten days,” said Datta Nalawade, DCP, detection. Day of the murder Waghmare, a resident of Vile Parle, reportedly attended a party on July 23 in Sion with a female friend and three employees from the Worli spa where she worked. After the party, Waghmare and his friend returned to the spa. An official stated that after the party in Sion at Aparna Bar, the group reached the Soft Touch Spa at around 12.30 am. Around 2 am the three spa employees left the premises. Subsequently, two unknown assailants, who were suspected to be hired by the spa owner, entered the spa by opening the shutter and slit Waghmare’s throat with a sharp weapon. In an attempt to defend himself, Waghmare injured his hands. The incident came to light the following day when Waghmare’s friend, Mary, informed the spa owner, who then contacted the Mumbai police control room. Police reported receiving the information at 1.45 pm on July 24, after which they arrived at the scene and began questioning the spa employees and Waghmare’s friends. "Within a few hours after the incident was reported to us, we arrested the spa owner and are probing the matter,” said Krishnakant Upadhyay, DCP, Zone 3. Prolific diarist Officials have revealed that they found a diary in which the deceased had meticulously recorded his activities, including providing information to the police, filing RTIs, and participating in raids. He used a red pen to document bad experiences, a green pen for positive events and a blue pen for everyday occurrences.
26 July,2024 08:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanThe cyber police and experts are using artificial intelligence (AI) to counter cybercriminals who employ the technology to create deepfake movies, clone voices and tailor phishing emails. According to sources in the Cyber Cell of the Mumbai and the Maharashtra Police, officials are employing AI algorithms to keep one step ahead of cybercriminals by examining big databases, spotting trends in fraudulent activity and validating the authenticity of videos by correctly identifying matter generated by AI. Cyber expert Yasir Shaikh at the Macksofy Technologies office in BKC. Pic/Ashish Raje Ritesh Bhatia, a leading cyber expert, founder and director of V4WEB Cybersecurity, said, “AI has now become a tool for cybercriminals in sophisticated cyber frauds, especially those involving voice cloning, phishing emails, and deepfakes. Cybercriminals are using AI to create realistic voice clones and videos of well-known personalities, which they then use to deceive people,” said. He added, “For example, a deepfake video of a business tycoon was recently circulated, falsely claiming that he had invested in a particular trading firm. This led many people to trust the firm and subsequently fall victim to fraud.” Tool for enforcing law “AI systems help in analysing large datasets to detect patterns indicative of fraudulent activities, aiding in the identification and prevention of cybercrimes in real-time. We are using counter apps to determine if videos are AI-generated, particularly in cases related to deepfakes, identity theft, phishing emails and voice cloning where crooks use individual’s voices to extort large amounts from their parents,” said a Cyber Cell officer. “Using these tools enables the identification and analysis of patterns, detection of anomalies, and prevention of cyberattacks before they inflict substantial harm. By harnessing AI, law enforcement agencies can bolster their capacity to trace and apprehend cybercriminals, thereby improving digital safety for all. It is crucial for law enforcement agencies to integrate AI into their investigative protocols, particularly in combating cyber fraud. Cybercriminals utilise AI extensively, necessitating a proactive response from agencies to effectively combat these threats,” Bhatia added. Ritesh Bhatia, founder and director, V4WEB Cybersecurity Explaining further about the use of AI in cyber frauds, Bhatia stated, “AI algorithms can automate the creation of highly personalised phishing emails, making them more convincing. AI tools can also rapidly analyse vast amounts of data to identify vulnerabilities in security systems, enabling cybercriminals to exploit these weaknesses before they are patched.” According to Bhatia, AI-driven bots can execute large-scale fraud activities, such as credential stuffing attacks, where stolen usernames and passwords are used to gain unauthorised access to multiple accounts. “The ability of AI to learn and adapt makes it a powerful tool in the hands of cybercriminals, who can use it to continuously refine their tactics and evade detection,” he said. Forensic applications According to the experts, AI-powered forensic tools help investigators reconstruct digital evidence and identify perpetrators. Additionally, natural language processing (NLP) can be used to monitor and analyse communications for suspicious activities. “By automating routine tasks, AI allows law enforcement agencies to allocate resources more efficiently, focusing on complex cases that require human intervention,” said Yasir Shaikh, founder of Macksofy Technologies. Shaikh said, “In recent years, image fraud has become common in social media applications and the online community. In particular, applying deep learning (DL) techniques to identify particular visual characteristics and overlay them on a different image or video has gained popularity on various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Reddit. This idea is often referred to as “deepfake,” where “deep” denotes the use of deep learning neural networks (DLNN) and “fake” denotes the definition of DLNN as being deceptive with respect to the original input.” According to Shaikh, deepfake detection solutions are ordinarily employed for recognising deepfake content and deep learning networks. “But they can also be image and video analysis tools that can identify inconsistencies between facial expressions, lighting and lip movement; audio analysis tools that can identify speech patterns, voice characteristics that have differences or audio track parts that do not make any sense; and, finally, behavioural analysis tools that focus on the evaluation of aspects, such as ductile and facial expressions,” said added. According to Shaikh, even deepfake generation models create identical replicas, these fakes can still be identified using deep learning techniques or specialised forensic procedures. The convolution procedures of nearly all deepfake generators are visible in the image. Even while these traces can be found with meticulous forensic investigation, the amount of data being shared on social media these days demands quick and automated solutions. “If a system does not implement automatic triage, it will be hard to do forensics analysis due to the sheer volume of data involved in assessing deepfakes. Supervised deep learning techniques can readily identify convolutional traces remaining in deepfake images if the user supplies sufficient training data. The investigating officer can determine whether using a deep learning technique based on MesoNet, a tool used to identify whether the video is fake.” Administrative tasks According to a Mumbai police official, apart from its use in investigations, AI tools are utilised in administrative tasks such as drafting content, preparing letters to send notices to accused individuals and witnesses, as well as generating letters seeking assistance from counterpart agencies. “It makes work easier and less time-consuming. Sometimes, we use apps like ChatGPT to generate questions to be asked to the accused in certain cases, making the work more efficient,” said a Crime Branch officer. AI and the legal profession According to advocate Aishwarya Kantawala, the legal profession in India is evolving with the advent of new technologies, including AI-powered tools like ChatGPT. Reliance on such tools is increasing. Among the advantages of using AI are prompt responses, efficiency and accuracy in information, accessibility and the fact that a lot of software is free. “The disadvantages are that there is a risk of inaccuracy/error, all data might not be reliable and can be un-updated. There is a risk of job displacement and severe dependency,” she said. “Limitations are language barriers, non-digitisation of several documents and poor technological advancement among the majority of the populace. Although the Indian legal system is grasping the idea of AI and software being used such as the Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software (SUVAS), an AI-powered translation tool, no guidelines exist on the use of AI in legal practice. Ultimately, AI should be used mindfully and responsibly as one cannot thereafter shift the burden of responsibility for error/issues/inaccuracy upon a software,” she added. What is it?It is a novel deepfake detector used for zeroing in on impostors during video conferencing and manipulated faces on social media. FakeBuster is a standalone deep learning- based solution, which enables a user to detect if another person’s video is manipulated or spoofed during a video conference-based meeting. How it works?It employs a 3D convolutional neural network for predicting video fakeness. The network is trained on a combination of datasets such as Deeperforensics, DFDC, VoxCeleb, and deepfake videos created using locally captured images (specific to video-conferencing scenarios). Who it affects/benefits?Cyber experts and law enforcement agencies, who often use specialised apps while investigating deepfake cases
26 July,2024 07:46 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA woman along with her son suffered burn injuries when her husband threw acid on her when she refused to return to him. The 24-year-old woman had sought a divorce from her husband as she was fed up with his addiction to alcohol and drugs. The woman and her 12-year-old son are currently undergoing treatment at Kasturba Hospital. The shocking incident occurred in Behrampada, Bandra East, on Monday evening. The woman was sitting with her son near the entrance when the accused arrived and pleaded with her not to return. When she refused, the enraged husband threw acid on her, resulting in injuries to her back, abdomen, and shoulder. The acid also splashed on the boy's back, causing him injuries as well. Initially, the duo were rushed to Bhabha Hospital and later shifted to Kasturba Hospital, where their condition is reported to be stable, according to an officer from Nirmal Nagar police station. The accused had fled after the attack and was later arrested the same evening by the detection team led by police sub-inspector Rameshwar Karpe under the guidance of DCP Dixit Gedam and senior police inspector Shrimant Shinde. During the investigation, it was revealed that the victim, originally from Beed, had married the accused six years ago and had a son from her first marriage. Her second husband, who is about 40 years old, is an auto driver and was addicted to drugs and alcohol. This would lead to frequent quarrels in the family. The victim, fed up with the frequent conflicts decided to separate from him and took ‘Khula’ a week ago and started living separately. She resided in a rented room and supported herself and her son by working in a catering firm. On the day of the incident, the accused came to plead with her to withdraw the ‘khula’ and return to him, but when she refused, he threw the acid on her, the officer said. “We have registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS, 124(1) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc.) and arrested the accused. He was produced before the court and remanded to police custody for two days," said another officer.
26 July,2024 07:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanMumbai Crime Branch Unit 3 has arrested two persons for the murder of a history-sheeter at Worli spa. According to police sources, they took four persons into custody and officially arrested two persons among them and two others are being questioned. The officials said that the four were nabbed from Nalasopara and Kota in connection with the murder of a history-sheeter identified as Guru Sidappa Waghmare, aged 50 at Worli's Soft Touch Spa. The murder of the history-sheeter at Worli spa took place on Wednesday. Sources have revealed that one Mohammad Firoz Ansari, aged 26, and one Saqib Ansari were arrested. While Firoz was held from Nalasopara, Saqib was arrested in Kota.
25 July,2024 10:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanThe Worli police are interrogating suspects in the murder of a 50-year-old man at a closed spa near Worli Naka. Six teams, led by Senior Police Inspector, Ravindra Katkar, have been formed to apprehend the suspects. The case came to light on July 24 when the Worli police station received a call reporting a body found inside the spa. The victim, identified by police as Gurusiddhappa Waghmare, 50, was allegedly killed by two to three unknown individuals. According to the police, the victim had a criminal record. “Five FIR’s and some NC’s have been registered against the deceased in Vile Parle police station.” said a police officer on condition of anonymity. According to the police, Waghmare had partied at a bar located in Sion with his female friend and three employees of the spa. “The deceased celebrated his birthday on July 24. He decided to throw a party and everyone went to the bar and then to the spa,” the police said. According to police, the group entered the spa around 12.30 am, and the three employees left around 2.00 am. After the employees had left, two unidentified men wearing raincoats entered the spa. “The two men then killed Waghmare using a knife and chopper and then fled from the scene,” said the police. The female friend who is identified as Mary (second name not known) by the police then informed the spa owner about the incident, who then called the main control room at around 2 pm. “We arrived at the scene and found the body. We took him to the nearest hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. He had injuries on his body. Based on this, we have registered an FIR and launched a manhunt to apprehend the suspects. The body has been sent for postmortem analysis,” said the police. The Worli police are scrutinising the CCTV footage to nab the accused, “The spa was not functional for the past six months, however, we are scrutinising the CCTV footage of the crime scene. We suspect that the accused came after Waghmare had entered the spa.” said the police. The police have registered an FIR against unknown people under section 103 ( Punishment for murder) and other relevant sections of the BNS.
25 July,2024 08:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheADVERTISEMENT
