The Maharashtra Cyber Police has facilitated the refund of Rs 2 crore to the victim in one of India’s largest “digital arrest” fraud cases, officials said on Friday. The amount marks the first recovery in a case in which a 72-year-old Mumbai businessman was allegedly cheated of Rs 58.13 crore by an organised cyber fraud network. The scam took place in October last year. Officials claim that sustained investigation, advanced financial tracking, timely legal intervention, and coordination with banks and judicial authorities made the refund possible. Officials said the recovery has also provided significant emotional relief to the victim. How scam unfolded According to the police, the accused posed as senior officials from law enforcement agencies and central investigating bodies such as the Mumbai Police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and telecom authorities and made repeated phone and video calls to the victim. They also displayed fake identity cards and official-looking documents and used backdrops resembling government offices to make the deception appear credible. The fraudsters gradually built psychological pressure by warning the victim that his mobile number, bank accounts, and financial transactions were under surveillance for alleged links to money laundering and other serious offences. He was allegedly told that failure to “cooperate” would lead to immediate arrest, public embarrassment, and attachment of assets. Under sustained intimidation, the victim was instructed to transfer funds to multiple bank accounts purportedly for “verification” and “safe custody” as part of the so-called investigation. Over time, he transferred money in several tranches across different accounts, eventually losing Rs 58.13 crore.
19 January,2026 08:14 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerAn externed history-sheeter with a long record of serious offences created high drama in the dead of night in Goregaon East by abusing and assaulting policemen on patrol and repeatedly banging his own head against a police vehicle in an apparent attempt to derail his arrest. The incident occurred in the early hours of January 17 at Santosh Nagar, Goregaon East, under the jurisdiction of Dindoshi police station. Police swung into action after the owner of Sai Prasad Bar alerted them that a man had entered the premises, abused staff, issued threats and fled. Acting on the information, a patrol team led by police constable Pradip Dattatray More, 52, traced the suspect near an electricity cabin at the BMC Colony around 1.42 am. The man was identified as Akshay Parshuram Kotekar, 29, a resident of Santosh Nagar and a known history-sheeter. Police said Kotekar had been externed for two years from Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban districts and Thane under orders issued by senior police officers. When questioned about his presence within city limits and asked to produce written permission from the competent authority, he admitted he had none. As Constable More attempted to detain him for violating the externment order, the situation quickly escalated. According to the complaint, Kotekar, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, began abusing policemen in public, grabbed More by the collar and pushed him, thereby obstructing officers from performing their lawful duties. Witnesses and police sources said the accused shouted threats and dared the policemen to release him. In a shocking turn of events, Kotekar then began repeatedly slamming his head against the rear door of a police vehicle, sustaining bleeding injuries, while continuing to hurl abuses at the officers. The police restrained him using necessary force and rushed him to a trauma care hospital in Jogeshwari East for medical examination before bringing him to the police station. A case has been registered against Kotekar under Sections 132, 226, 352, 352(2) and 142 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, for assaulting a public servant, obstructing official work and unlawful assembly. Investigators said the accused is a habitual offender with over 22 serious cases registered against him since 2015, including theft, robbery, attempt to murder, assault, offences under the NDPS Act, Arms Act and repeated violations of the Maharashtra Police Act. He had also been externed earlier in November 2024. “The accused is known for creating public disturbances. Despite being externed, he brazenly re-entered city limits and created a scene when police tried to take action,” a senior police officer said, adding that further investigation is underway.
19 January,2026 07:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilPanic briefly gripped residents of a residential building in Oshiwara in Mumbai after bullets were found at two flats on different floors on Sunday, police said, adding that suspected firing marks on a wall and a wooden case was being probed. A senior police official said that no injuries were reported in the incident and probe have been launched into the incident. The incident took place at the Nalanda building in Oshiwara area of western suburbs of the city. According to the police, one bullet was found on the second floor and another on the fourth floor of the building. “One bullet was recovered from a flat on the second floor and another from a flat on the fourth floor of Nalanda Apartment. Teams from the local police station and the Crime Branch immediately rushed to the spot and have launched an investigation,” he said. "Two projectiles have been found lying on ground on second floor and fourth floor of the building. Impact marks on a wall and a wooden case have been observed. Further investigation is going on," said a police officer. Impact marks on wall and wooden case Police said that impact marks were noticed on a wall and a wooden cupboard inside the building, suggesting that shots may have been fired from outside or from an unknown location. However, the exact source and timing of the firing are yet to be established. The was alerted soon after noticing the damage and the bullets, sources said. Probe underway Police teams reached the spot and cordoned off the area for further investigation, they said. A detailed probe is currently underway and CCTV footage from the building and nearby areas were being checked for further clues, an official said.
18 January,2026 09:31 PM IST | Mumbai | Asif RizviA court in Maharashtra's Thane has acquitted a 40-year-old man of charges involving repeated rape and criminal intimidation, highlighting several inconsistencies in the testimony of the complainant, reported news agency PTI. In his order of January 12, a copy of which was made available on Thursday, Additional Sessions Judge D S Deshmukh held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, reported PTI. The complainant, a sister-in-law of the accused, had alleged that the man had exploited her financial vulnerability and her daughter's illness to repeatedly rape her between November 2014 and April 2015. She further claimed that the accused had threatened to kill her husband. Judge Deshmukh pointed to the lack of "resistance" by the woman. "If she was scared of his threats and wanted to resist his sexual activities, she could have lodged a complaint immediately," he said, reported PTI. It also said, "There is a money dispute as prosectrix (complainant) has admitted in her examination-in-chief that she has taken money from the accused from time to time for medical treatment of her daughter. Therefore, the defence taken by the accused on the dispute of money the present case was registered against him is acceptable," reported PTI. After reviewing the evidence of six prosecution witnesses, including medical officers and investigating officers, the court concluded that the testimony of the woman did not "inspire confidence", dropping all charges against the accused. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates 12 years on, Thane court acquits four in attempt to murder case In another case, a court in Thane has cleared four men of the attempted murder and rioting charges after nearly 12 years, following the prosecution's failure to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, reported PTI. The Additional Sessions Court in Thane passed the acquittal order on Monday. The victim, Ganesh Gupta, was assaulted with sharp weapons on July 1, 2014, in Wagle Estate, Thane, over previous enmity, according to the prosecution, reported PTI. The accused persons were booked on charges of attempted murder, rioting, and theft. After hearing the submissions by the defence and prosecution and the testimony of seven witnesses, including the victim and the complainant, Judge A.S. Bhagwat found significant inconsistencies in the case, reported PTI. The cross-examination disclosed that the complainant had not described the weapons or the clothing of the accused in his initial statement. Furthermore, the defence argued that the victim himself had criminal cases pending against him and that the allegations were politically motivated. Defence counsels Adv. Hemlata Deshmukh and Adv. Raj Dalvi, appearing for the accused, punched holes in the prosecution. "As the allegations against accused 1 to 4 are not proved, they are entitled to be acquitted in this case," the court stated, reported PTI. All four accused, who were arrested in July 2014 and later released on bail, have now been cleared of all charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act. (With inputs from PTI)
16 January,2026 03:06 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Navi Mumbai police have launched a manhunt for a gang that allegedly cheated a Sangli-based businessman of Rs 13.25 lakh on the pretext of selling gold at discounted rates, an official said on Friday, reported news agency PTI. The incident took place on January 6 near Sector 20 of Kharghar, they said. The FIR has not mentioned anything about the delayed complaint. The 56-year-old complainant told the police that he was lured into the deal by three persons, identified as Ashish, Vicky, and Raju, who promised gold at a 5 per cent discount, reported PTI. The trio persuaded the complainant to bring cash to Kharghar for an initial 100-gram transaction. After he arrived in Navi Mumbai, one of the accused met him and told him that they would need to go to their office for the deal, reported PTI. While the complainant was being taken to the "office", a white Ertiga car intercepted them. Claiming to be policemen, five to six men emerged from the vehicle and seized the man's bag containing Rs 13.25 lakh, reported PTI. They then fled the scene along with the person escorting the businessman, the official said. A case has been registered, and a probe is underway to track down the fraudsters, said senior inspector Ajay Pandurang Kamble from Kharghar police station. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates Ex-serviceman, kin duped of Rs 17.7 lakh by travel agent in Thane In another case, the police have registered a case against a travel agent in Thane for allegedly cheating an 84-year-old retired Navy personnel and his family of Rs 17.77 lakh under the pretext of arranging a tour to Japan, officials said on Wednesday, reported PTI. The complainant, Arun Raghunath Chitre, stated that his son-in-law met the accused at a family function in July 2024. The accused, who operates a travel agency, claimed to organise domestic and international tours, reported PTI. Chitre and several of his family members collectively paid Rs 17,77,170 to the accused between December 20, 2024, and January 10, 2026. However, the promised tour did not materialise, and the money was not returned, an official from Wagle Estate police station said, reported PTI. Based on the complaint and subsequent inquiry, an FIR was registered against the accused on January 10 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for cheating and criminal breach of trust. A probe was underway into the case, the police added. (With inputs from PTI)
16 January,2026 02:47 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentPolice in Maharashtra's Thane district have booked a history-sheeter for allegedly attempting to strangle a 36-year-old woman and threatening to kill her family, an official said on Friday, reported news agency PTI. The accused, identified as Akshay Kurtadkar, had previously been externed from the area due to his criminal record, reported PTI. The incident took place on Tuesday afternoon in the Badlapur area. According to the complainant, who is a housewife, Kurtadkar asked her to meet him on January 13, threatening her that he knew her son's school schedule. When she arrived at the location, Kurtadkar allegedly tried to force her into an autorickshaw and threatened to make her private videos viral. When she resisted, he allegedly attempted to strangle her and threatened to kill her minor son and vandalise her brother's shop, reported PTI. Police said a case has been registered against Kurtadkar for attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and other charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The Maharashtra Police Act has also been invoked against him for violating the externment orders, the official added. Murder accused in 4-day police custody; cops say childhood quarrel led to Beed labourer's killing In another case, a court in Beed district of Maharashtra has remanded a murder accused to four days of police custody after the prosecution claimed he killed the victim over a quarrel dating back to their childhood, reported PTI. On January 6, Harshad Shinde, a contract labourer of the Beed Municipal Council engaged in municipal pipeline work, was shot dead and then brutally attacked on the face with a sickle in the Ankushnagar area of Beed town, according to police, reported PTI. The alleged attacker, Vishal Suryavanshi, was arrested on Sunday night while he was travelling on a two-wheeler towards Kaij from Kalamb tehsil in neighbouring Dharashiv district, they said, reported PTI. Produced before the court on Monday, Suryavanshi was remanded to four days of police custody. Investigations revealed the victim and the accused were known to each other, said police. During questioning, the accused told interrogators that he committed the murder to avenge a childhood altercation, they said. Probe has established that the murder was committed over a petty reason, added the police. (With inputs from PTI)
16 January,2026 02:30 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentPolice have registered a case against a travel agent in Thane for allegedly cheating an 84-year-old retired Navy personnel and his family of Rs 17.77 lakh under the pretext of arranging a tour to Japan, officials said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. The complainant, Arun Raghunath Chitre, stated that his son-in-law met the accused at a family function in July 2024. The accused, who operates a travel agency, claimed to organise domestic and international tours, reported PTI. Chitre and several of his family members collectively paid Rs 17,77,170 to the accused between December 20, 2024, and January 10, 2026. However, the promised tour did not materialise, and the money was not returned, an official from Wagle Estate police station said. Based on the complaint and subsequent inquiry, an FIR was registered against the accused on January 10 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for cheating and criminal breach of trust. A probe was underway into the case, the police added, reported PTI. Thane businessman loses Rs 1 crore in shares investment fraud In another case, police have registered an FIR against three individuals for allegedly cheating a Thane-based businessman of Rs 1 crore through a fraudulent investment scheme, officials said on Tuesday, reported PTI. The 43-year-old businessman, a resident of Wagle Estate in Maharashtra's Thane city, came across an advertisement on a social media platform in June last year, offering high returns on investments in IPOs and shares, reported PTI. He then contacted three persons in this connection. To gain his trust, the accused held a meeting with him at a hotel in Thane and provided him with a forged digital demat link. Believing the platform was legitimate, the victim transferred Rs 1 crore in 29 separate transactions to various bank accounts between June and July 2025, an official from Wagle Estate police station said, reported PTI. The demat link dashboard showed a profit of Rs 19 crore, but he was unable to withdraw any funds. The accused then demanded a 20 per cent commission to release the amount, following which the victim realised he had been duped, he said. Based on his complaint, the police registered a case on Sunday under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for cheating and forgery and provisions of the Information Technology Act, the official added. (With inputs from PTI)
14 January,2026 02:03 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA special POCSO court in Thane has sentenced a fisherman to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl after misleading her with a false promise of marriage, noting that he had concealed his marital status from the victim, reported news agency PTI. POCSO Act aims to curb sexual offences against children The POCSO Act is designed to protect children from sexual offences by prescribing stringent punishments aimed at curbing the menace, addressing such crimes effectively, and deterring similar criminal behaviour, Special Court Judge Ruby U Malvankar noted in the order passed on Tuesday, reported PTI. The prosecution told the court that the victim (then aged 15), who worked as a domestic help and fish cleaner at Uttan in Maharashtra's Thane district, met the accused, Manoj Navasha Shanvar, in August 2022, reported PTI. Accused concealed marriage to exploit victim Shanvar, a fisherman, gained her trust by professing love and promising marriage. The accused was already married with two children, a fact he intentionally concealed to exploit the victim. The accused sexually assaulted the victim on multiple occasions from August 2022 to September 2023, following which she became pregnant. Accused refused responsibility, issued threats When the victim informed the accused about her pregnancy, he revealed his marital status, refused to accept her, and issued threats, reported PTI. The victim subsequently underwent a medical termination of pregnancy at 22 weeks. Consent obtained by deception amounts to rape: Court The accused was convicted under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code. The court said the accused had apparently not disclosed his marital status to the victim, reported PTI. "Had it been so disclosed, perhaps the victim would have never indulged in such relations with him," it observed. Therefore, her consent was clearly obtained by deception, and hence the sexual relations fall into the definition of 'rape' under Section 375 of IPC, it said. Stricter punishment needed to deter such crimes It was the accused who developed a romantic relationship with the victim by giving her an allurement that he would marry her, even as he knew that he would not be able to fulfil the promise, being already married and a father to two children, the court noted. "The POCSO Act aims at providing protection to children from sexual offences and therefore stronger and stricter punishments are provided to ensure that the menace is curbed, addressed and such criminal tendencies are controlled," it added, reported PTI. Fine imposed, victim to get compensation Along with the 20-year sentence, the court also imposed a collective fine of Rs 6,000 on the accused for various offences and directed that the amount be given to the victim. It also directed additional compensation to the victim under the Manodhairya Scheme. (With inputs from PTI)
14 January,2026 01:35 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentIn a major crackdown on narcotics trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit, carried out a series of high-impact operations over the past three days, leading to the seizure of drugs worth Rs 17.55 crore and the arrest of 10 people across Maharashtra and Goa. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted a truck at Bhagimahari Toll Plaza near Nagpur on National Highway-47. A thorough search led to the recovery of 522.138 kg of weed concealed beneath cover cargo of coolers, table fans and blankets. The contraband, valued at Rs 2.6 crore, was seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and two persons were arrested. In another operation, DRI officers intercepted a food truck belonging to an airport catering company as it exited the Mumbai airport premises during a covert overnight operation. An inspection revealed 3.15 kg of hydroponic weed hidden behind the passenger seat. Follow-up action led to the arrest of five members of a drug syndicate operating within the airport ecosystem, including the driver, two aircraft cleaning staff who retrieved drugs concealed in aircraft toilet bins, the duty manager who assigned staff to targeted flights, and the main coordinator. The seized hydroponic weed was valued at Rs 3.15 crore. Three foreign nationals among those arrested by DRI Mumbai In a separate case, a Kenyan national arriving from Entebbe in Uganda at Mumbai airport was intercepted and allegedly found to have ingested seven capsules containing 446 grams of cocaine, valued at Rs 4.66 crore. She was arrested under the NDPS Act. In another operation, a Nigerian national arriving in Mumbai from Delhi by a domestic flight was intercepted, and a detailed examination of her baggage led to the recovery of 673 grams of cocaine worth Rs 6.73 crore. The contraband was seized and the passenger arrested. In Goa, DRI officers intercepted a Nigerian national arriving from Delhi by a domestic flight and recovered 280 grams of amphetamine valued at Rs 22 lakh. The passenger was arrested under the NDPS Act. The DRI said it remains committed to the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’, and will continue its efforts to intercept narcotics, dismantle organised drug trafficking syndicates, and safeguard public health and national security.
13 January,2026 08:46 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilAn elderly couple from Maharashtra's Thane district was allegedly cheated of Rs 17.5 lakh by a man who promised them high returns on shares, police said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. The police on Monday registered a first information report (FIR) against the accused, Amit Yuvraj Karle, a resident of Panvel in Navi Mumbai, under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 316(2) (criminal Breach of Trust) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), an official said. According to the complaint, the couple was introduced to Karle in December 2024, and the latter claimed to possess 5,000 unlisted shares of NSDL and 3,000 of NSC (National Stock Exchange), luring them to purchase the shares, claiming they would soon be listed, reported PTI. The official said that the couple transferred Rs 24.5 lakh to Karle's bank account between January and March 2025, and he returned Rs 7 lakh following threats of legal action. However, the remaining sum of Rs 17.5 lakh was never recovered, and the promised shares were never transferred to them, reported PTI. The fraud came to light after the complainants visited Karle's house, only to learn that he was already in jail in connection with some other criminal cases, he said, adding that a probe has been initiated. Thane businessman loses Rs 1 crore in shares investment fraud In another case, the police have registered an FIR against three individuals for allegedly cheating a Thane-based businessman of Rs 1 crore through a fraudulent investment scheme, officials said on Tuesday, reported PTI. The 43-year-old businessman, a resident of Wagle Estate in Maharashtra's Thane city, came across an advertisement on a social media platform in June last year, offering high returns on investments in IPOs and shares, reported PTI. He then contacted three persons in this connection. To gain his trust, the accused held a meeting with him at a hotel in Thane and provided him with a forged digital demat link. Believing the platform was legitimate, the victim transferred Rs 1 crore in 29 separate transactions to various bank accounts between June and July 2025, an official from Wagle Estate police station said, reported PTI. The demat link dashboard showed a profit of Rs 19 crore, but he was unable to withdraw any funds. The accused then demanded a 20 per cent commission to release the amount, following which the victim realised he had been duped, he said. Based on his complaint, the police registered a case on Sunday under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for cheating and forgery and provisions of the Information Technology Act, the official added. (With input from PTI)
13 January,2026 12:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPolice have registered an FIR against three individuals for allegedly cheating a Thane businessman of Rs 1 crore through a fraudulent investment scheme, officials said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. The 43-year-old Thane businessman, a resident of Wagle Estate in Maharashtra's Thane city, came across an advertisement on a social media platform in June last year, offering high returns on investments in IPOs and shares. He then contacted three persons in this connection. To gain his trust, the accused held a meeting with him at a hotel in Thane and provided him with a forged digital demat link, reported PTI. Believing the platform was legitimate, the victim transferred Rs 1 crore in 29 separate transactions to various bank accounts between June and July 2025, an official from Wagle Estate police station said. The demat link dashboard showed a profit of Rs 19 crore, but he was unable to withdraw any funds. The accused then demanded a 20 per cent commission to release the amount, following which the victim realised he had been duped, he said, reported PTI. Based on his complaint, the police registered a case on Sunday under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for cheating and forgery and provisions of the Information Technology Act, the official added. Senior citizens cheated of Rs 17.5 lakh in share scam in Thane district Meanwhile, an elderly couple from Maharashtra's Thane district was allegedly cheated of Rs 17.5 lakh by a man who promised them high returns on shares, police said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. The police on Monday registered a first information report (FIR) against the accused, Amit Yuvraj Karle, a resident of Panvel in Navi Mumbai, under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 316(2) (criminal Breach of Trust) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), an official said. According to the complaint, the couple was introduced to Karle in December 2024, and the latter claimed to possess 5,000 unlisted shares of NSDL and 3,000 of NSC (National Stock Exchange), luring them to purchase the shares, claiming they would soon be listed, reported PTI. The official said that the couple transferred Rs 24.5 lakh to Karle's bank account between January and March 2025, and he returned Rs 7 lakh following threats of legal action. However, the remaining sum of Rs 17.5 lakh was never recovered, and the promised shares were never transferred to them, reported PTI. The fraud came to light after the complainants visited Karle's house, only to learn that he was already in jail in connection with some other criminal cases, he said, adding that a probe has been initiated. (With inputs from PTI)
13 January,2026 12:34 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
