A 60-year-old woman was brutally murdered at her residence in Maharashtra’s Thane district, with valuable jewellery looted from the premises, a senior police officer confirmed on Friday. The victim, Rajni Patkar, was alone in her apartment at a housing complex in Kalyan when the attack took place on Thursday evening. As per PTI, police have stated that there were clear signs of forced entry, indicating that the assailants may have broken into the house before committing the crime. According to PTI, Patkar was discovered in a pool of blood, and preliminary investigations suggest that she succumbed to fatal injuries at the scene. Among the stolen valuables were her mangalsutra and other pieces of jewellery, which were found to be missing from the residence, the police official added. In a similar incident in February 2025, a 42-year-old woman was stabbed to death in public, allegedly by her neighbour over a financial dispute in Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said, as per PTI. The victim, identified as Seema Kamble, was attacked in the Barkupada area of Ambernath in the afternoon. An official stated that Kamble had an ongoing dispute with her neighbour, Rahul Dingarkar, over money she had lent him. During a heated argument, Dingarkar allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Kamble multiple times, leading to her immediate collapse. She succumbed to her injuries soon after, according to PTI. The police were alerted and promptly took the accused into custody. A case under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered. Authorities have also begun recording statements from witnesses and local residents as part of their probe. Meanwhile, in another legal development, a Thane court acquitted a 36-year-old woman accused of murdering her five-month-old son in December 2021. The woman had been charged with drowning her infant in a water drum, but the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove her guilt, as per PTI. The Principal District and Sessions Judge, S.B. Agrawal, delivered the judgment on January 20, clearing the woman of all charges. The prosecution had alleged that on December 24, 2021, the woman threw her baby into a water drum outside her home in Kalwa’s Saiba Nagar locality, resulting in his tragic death. However, the defence contended that there was no concrete evidence linking her to the crime. Initially, the woman had reported to the police that her child had gone missing from the hammock where he was sleeping, claiming an unknown individual had abducted him. CCTV footage from the vicinity showed two unidentified women walking around at the time of the incident, but no connection was established between them and the disappearance of the infant. Eventually, the child's body was discovered in a water drum outside a neighbour's house, with an autopsy confirming drowning as the cause of death. (With inputs from PTI)
21 March,2025 01:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHitesh Mehta, the prime accused in the Rs 122 crore embezzlement case at New India Cooperative Bank, is set to undergo a brain-mapping test in the coming days, a senior police officer said on Friday. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police, which is investigating the large-scale misappropriation of funds at the bank, is making efforts to gather further information on the case, as per PTI reports. Mehta, who previously served as the bank's general manager and head of accounts, underwent a polygraph test —commonly referred to as a lie detector test—last week at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Mumbai’s Kalina area. However, according to officers, the results were inconclusive and failed to provide concrete details regarding the use of the siphoned funds or the involvement of other accused persons. In an attempt to extract more information and establish crucial links in the New India Cooperative Bank scam case, the EOW has now decided to proceed with a brain-mapping test, the officer stated. “We have taken a decision to conduct a brain-mapping test on Hitesh Mehta, but the exact date is yet to be finalised. The test will be carried out at the FSL,” the officer was quoted as saying by PTI. A court has already granted permission for forensic psychological tests on Mehta, paving the way for further investigation into the New India Cooperative Bank scam case, PTI reported. So far, EOW has arrested seven individuals in connection with the scam. However, former chairman of the bank Hiten Bhanu and his wife Gauri remain absconding and are listed as wanted accused in the case. A local court has issued a non-bailable warrant against the couple, officers said. According to the police, a staggering Rs 122 crore was siphoned from the safes of New India Cooperative Bank’s Prabhadevi and Goregaon branches in Mumbai. Mehta was arrested on 15 February, with six other individuals subsequently taken into custody in connection with the scam. In the last few years, Hitesh Mehta is the first accused on whom the Mumbai EOW has conducted a polygraph test, he said, according to the PTI. "The test lasted three hours, and around 50 questions were asked to him," he said, the news agency reported. The officials had prepared a questionnaire, and forensic physiology experts asked the questions to him, the official said. (With inputs from PTI)
21 March,2025 01:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA court has convicted and sentenced a man from Maharashtra's Thane district to 20 years in prison for rape and assault of a seven-year-old girl about six years ago. In his order on Thursday, Additional Sessions Judge from Kalyan, PR Ashturkar, also imposed a fine of Rs 6,000 on the 39-year-old convict, a resident of the Ambernath area. Special Public Prosecutor Sachin Kulkarni told the court that in July 2019, the man lured the child out of her house under a false pretext, took her to a desolate spot and raped her. He also struck the girl, resulting in a tooth being knocked out, said Kulkarni. Hearing her cries, a passerby rushed to the spot and caught the man, who was subsequently arrested and booked for rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and assault. The court said the prosecution had proved all charges against the man beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced him to 20 years in jail. Kulkarni said eight witnesses, including the survivor, testified in the court. "The judge found the survivor's testimony compelling and consistent," he added. 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.
21 March,2025 10:53 AM IST | Thane | PTIA 42-year-old junior engineer from state-run power distributor Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) was arrested while accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh in Maharashtra's Palghar district, an officer from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said on Friday.According to news agency PTI, Atul Ashok Awhad, from Ashagad, under the Dahanu sub-division of MSEDCL, had demanded Rs 3 lakh to spare a cattle shed owner from action for stealing electricity.The junior engineer brought down the bribe amount to Rs 2 lakh after negotiations, the officer said.Acting on a complaint, the ACB laid a trap and nabbed Awhad allegedly while he was accepting the bribe on Thursday, ACB's Deputy Superintendent of Police Harshal Chavan said. The Dahanu Police have booked Awhad under the Prevention of Corruption Act, PTI reported. CBI nabs Delhi cop for taking Rs 2.5-lakh bribe from Navi Mumbai businessman The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Delhi Police Sub-Inspector for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh through hawala operators for clearing the name of a Navi Mumbai-based tour operator from a case, officers said Thursday. According to news agency PTI, CBI arrested Rahul Malik, posted at Cyber Police Station in the Rohini area of the national capital, for allegedly accepting an installment of Rs 2.5 lakh out of the total Rs 14 lakh demanded from the businessman through "layers of multiple hawala operators" based in Mumbai, Tamil Nadu's Erode, and Delhi. The businessman had complaint to the CBI against Malik. According to him, he had business relations with a private company related to Cash Management System, but later found that the login credentials for virtual wallets provided to him was created under fake name, PTI reported. "The matter related to private company was under investigation in FIR (first information report) lodged at the Cyber Police Station, Rohini, Delhi," a CBI Spokesperson said in a statement. Malik, who was investigating the case, had allegedly issued notice to businessman's brother-in-law who joined investigation and when they appeared before him for investigation, the accused threatened to arrest them, the statement said. "It is further alleged that on March 7, 2025, the accused SI/IO [Malik] of the case visited at residence of complainant at Navi Mumbai and demanded a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to clear his and his brother-in-law's name from the case or else threatened that they would be arrested," the statement added. Next day, Malik allegedly asked the businessman to meet him at a hotel on Ghodbunder Road, Thane, where he allegedly demanded bribe by typing amount of Rs 16 lakh on his mobile and threatened him with consequences if the payment was not made. The threats allegedly continued when the businessman visited Rohini Police Station with his lawyer. Malik agreed to accept a bribe of Rs 14 lakh after negotiations and allegedly provided a number of a hawala operator in Mumbai along with the details of the hawala token number where the alleged bribe was to be paid. "Accordingly, on March 19, 2025, a successful trap was laid by CBI in which hawala operator accepted bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh at Mumbai on the behalf of public servants as a part bribe payment through layers of multiple hawala operators based in Mumbai, Erode (TN) and New Delhi," the CBI statement said. Malik will be taken to Mumbai to face the probe. (With PTI inputs)
21 March,2025 09:43 AM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondentA Brazilian national was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at the Mumbai airport for allegedly smuggling Rs 11.1 crore worth of drugs, the officials said on Thursday. The officials said that the DRI Mumbai intercepted the Brazilian national who had arrived in the city from Sao Paulo. "Based on intelligence, authorities suspected the passenger of carrying narcotics," an official said. Upon conducting a personal search, officers found seven pouches containing a viscous liquid substance, which were stitched into the passenger's inner clothing. A field test confirmed that the liquid substance was cocaine. The passenger admitted to carrying the drugs, the officials said. "A total of 1,110 grams of liquid cocaine, valued at approximately Rs. 11.1 crores in the illicit market, was recovered. The drugs were seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985," said the official. The Brazilian national was arrested and charged under the provisions of the NDPS Act, the officials said, adding that further investigations were underway.
20 March,2025 11:10 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanThe Ghatkopar police have arrested four individuals, including two minors, for allegedly robbing a man of his mobile phone and cash. The suspects were apprehended after a dramatic two-kilometre chase. The incident occurred on March 19, when a beat marshal on patrol heard a man shouting for help near Jagruti Nagar Metro Station. "We heard a man screaming, and upon reaching the spot, we found that a handkerchief had been stuffed in his mouth, and he was being assaulted by four men. We intervened immediately and rescued him," said a police officer. The victim, identified as 38-year-old Uday Gende, reported to the police that he had been robbed of his phone and cash by the group. Following the complaint, the police launched a manhunt for the accused. "Our beat marshals acted swiftly and pursued one of the suspects for over two kilometres. The suspect, a 16-year-old, was caught, and based on his inputs, we were able to apprehend the remaining three," the officer added. The arrested individuals have been identified as Vikas Lodhi (19) and Siddharth Bishe (24), along with two minors aged 16 and 17. The juveniles have been sent to the Dongri Children’s Home, while the other two are in police custody. The accused have been booked under Section 309 (robbery) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
20 March,2025 08:46 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheAn 11-year-old girl narrated about being sexually assaulted by her biological father during a 'Good Touch and Bad Touch' session by the Ulhasnagar Police in Thane district of Maharashtra following which the accused was arrested by the police, an official said. He said that a 35-year-old man was arrested by the Central Police in Ulhasnagar for allegedly raping his biological daughter multiple times. The matter came to light earlier this week after local police conducted a ‘Good Touch and Bad Touch’ awareness session at the girl's school, the official said. According to Shankar Avtade, Senior Police Inspector of Central Police Station, the awareness session helped the 11-year-old victim realise that she had been subjected to abuse by her own father. “The child was unaware that she was being subjected to abuse or that her father’s actions were wrong. It began with inappropriate touch, but she does not recall when it started. The victim lived with her younger sister and father, while her mother stayed separately. In the absence of the mother, the accused took advantage of the situation and abused the child,” said Senior Police Inspector Shankar Avtade. After the school awareness session, the girl bravely confided in her teacher about the situation. The teacher immediately contacted the girl's mother and informed her about the incident. Acting without delay, the mother took her daughter to the police station, where she narrated the entire ordeal. Following this, a criminal case was registered against the father. The police arrested the accused and presented him before the court, which remanded him to police custody for three days. Avtade stated that the accused has been booked under Sections 64(2) and 65(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, both pertaining to rape, along with Sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault), 8 (sexual assault), and 12 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
20 March,2025 08:16 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerThe Dindoshi Police in Mumbai has arrested a 28-year-old woman and two of her paramour's accomplices in connection with the brutal murder of her husband, an official said. According to police sources, the deceased has been identified as Chandrashekhar Ramsingh Chauhan (35), who worked in the film industry. He is survived by his wife, Ranju (28), and their three children, including a 12-year-old daughter. The police investigations revealed that Chandrashekhar and Ranju had a troubled marriage, marked by frequent arguments. Chauhan suspected his wife of infidelity, while Ranju, fearing that her husband had discovered the truth, sought help from her 20-year-old lover, Shahrukh Khan. They said that Shahrukh and Ranju had met through social media and developed a close bond, often spending hours on the phone. He frequently visited her house in her husband’s absence and became friendly with her children, even taking them out on outings. Police sources further said that a recent argument between Chandrashekhar and Ranju turned violent, with Chandrashekhar physically assaulting her. Frustrated with her situation, Ranju urged Shahrukh to help eliminate her husband permanently. She even threatened to take her own life if Chauhan was not killed. The police sources further said, emotionally influenced by Ranju, Shahrukh assured her of his support and devised a murder plan. He roped in two of his friends, Moinuddin Latif Khan (20) and Shivdas Prasad, by offering them Rs. 2 lakh each. On the day of the murder, Shahrukh arrived at Chauhan’s house with his two accomplices. Ranju opened the door and led them inside. Together, they overpowered Chauhan and strangled him to death. According to police sources, Ranju covered Chauhan’s mouth to muffle his screams, while Shahrukh and Moinuddin pressed a wooden plank against his neck. They sat on the plank and did not move until he stopped breathing, ensuring his death. Meanwhile, Shivdas Prasad held Chauhan’s legs to prevent resistance. After committing the crime, the accused fled the scene. The next morning, Ranju called her brother-in-law, Virendra Chauhan, who resides in Dadar, and informed him about Chandrashekhar’s condition, said an official. At around noon, Virendra Chauhan (50) arrived at the Dindoshi Police Station and reported his brother-in-law’s death. The duty officer visited the crime scene and noticed suspicious marks on the deceased’s neck. Senior officers were immediately informed, and a spot Panchnama was conducted before sending the body for an autopsy. The doctor who examined the body also suspected foul play, and the postmortem report confirmed that the cause of death was strangulation, the official said. The police said that under the guidance of DCP Smita Patil, Senior Inspector Ajay Afale, and PSI Ajit Desai, the police launched an investigation. When interrogated, Ranju initially claimed that someone had been knocking on their door in the early hours every day, and on the day of the incident, she had found her husband unresponsive in the morning. However, inconsistencies in her statement raised further suspicion. The officials said that the police analysed Ranju’s Call Data Records (CDR) and discovered a number with which she frequently communicated, including on the night of the murder. Further investigations of that number's CDR revealed that the locations of two suspects were traced to Ranju’s house at the time of the crime. Faced with mounting evidence, Ranju finally broke down during questioning and confessed to the crime, sources said. The police arrested Moinuddin Khan and later Shivdas Ayodhya Prasad. However, Shahrukh Khan remains absconding, and efforts are underway to track him down, said an officer.
20 March,2025 08:06 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanActor Vicky Kaushal-starrer film Chhaava was leaked online with around 1,818 links on different digital platforms following which the Mumbai Police has launched a probe after receiving an official complaint in the matter, an official said on Thursday. The film was released across India on February 14, 2025. According to the police, a case has been filed regarding illegal online distribution of the Hindi film Chhaava. The complaint was made by Rajat Rahul Haksar, the CEO of August Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., who is representing the anti-piracy agency appointed by Maddock Films Pvt. Ltd. The police said that Haksar reported that the movie was illegally circulated through 1,818 internet links on various digital platforms, which violated copyright laws and harmed the film's theatrical distribution. The unauthorised release of the movie has had a huge impact on its commercial success. "A case has been registered at the South Cyber Police Station under Sections 316(2) and 308(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 51, 63, and 65A of the Copyright Act, and Section 6AA of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 (Amendment 2023). The case also includes offenses under Sections 43 and 66 of the Information Technology Act," said an official from Mumbai Crime Branch. The official said that a probe into the matter was underway.
20 March,2025 06:18 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA 38-year-old man who escaped from Navi Mumbai police custody after being arrested in connection with a flesh trade case has been apprehended from his native village in West Bengal, an official said on Thursday, as per PTI reports. According to PTI, the accused has been identified as Sahil alias Shain Shirajul Mandal. He was initially arrested on March 14 and lodged at the Nerul police station lock-up in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, senior inspector Prithviraj Ghorpade of the anti-human trafficking cell stated. However, Mandal managed to escape from police custody at around 6.30 am on March 15, prompting a thorough investigation to track him down, the official said, as per PTI. Following his escape, the police launched a search operation and worked on multiple leads using intelligence and technical inputs to trace his whereabouts. PTI reports that the police received a tip-off indicating that the accused had fled to West Bengal. Acting on this information, a police team was dispatched to West Bengal to track down the fugitive. After an intensive search, Mandal was traced to his native village of Pitaari in Uttar Dinajpur district. The accused was arrested on March 18 and subsequently transported back to Navi Mumbai, the official confirmed, as per PTI. Upon his return, Mandal was produced before a local court, which remanded him in police custody until March 21 for further investigation, PTI reported. The accused has been charged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, the police said, according to PTI. Further investigation into the case is ongoing to determine how the accused managed to escape from custody and whether any lapses occurred on the part of the police. Police officials have also stated that they are reviewing security measures at the lock-up to prevent similar incidents in the future. Authorities are examining whether Mandal had any assistance during his escape or if any procedural violations contributed to the security breach, as per PTI reports. The successful apprehension of the accused reflects the coordinated efforts of the Navi Mumbai police and the intelligence team. The case highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in handling sensitive cases related to human trafficking and ensuring the security of those in custody. (With inputs from PTI)
20 March,2025 12:57 PM IST | MumbaiA 45-year-old resident of Ulhasnagar died after his friends allegedly directed a high-pressure water hose at his rectum during Holi celebrations on March 14. The man was admitted to KEM hospital on the same day, but died of complications two days later on March 16, the Kalyan Taluka police said. The victim worked at the venue along with his ‘friends,’ who were also employed there. The accused have been identified as Manish Chaitamani, 36, Krishna Singh, 46, and Saurabh Chanda, 30, all residents of Ulhasnagar. They were playing Holi together on Rang Panchami at the venue and had consumed alcohol,” said Suresh Kadam, police inspector, Kalyan Taluka police. “When one of them noticed a water pipe lying on the lawn. He picked it up while the other two pushed the victim to the ground and separated his legs. They were all in high spirits, laughing, unaware that their actions could be fatal,” Kadam said. Victim was declared dead on Mar 16. Representation pic/iStock He further explained, “The pipe was a high-pressure hose, so even though they couldn’t insert it into the rectum as they had intended, the force of the water was directed inside the victim’s body. Within minutes, he fell unconscious.” The victim was first taken to the Super Speciality Hospital under the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) in Shahad. However, due to his critical condition, he was referred elsewhere. His friends took him to multiple clinics before he was eventually transferred to KEM Hospital, Parel. He received treatment at KEM Hospital from March 15 until the evening of March 16, when he was declared dead. “According to doctors, there were no external injuries, but multiple internal injuries and organ damage due to water entering his body,” Kadam added. On March 16, hospital authorities alerted the Bhoiwada police, who registered a zero FIR. The case was then transferred to Kalyan Taluka police since the crime had occurred in their jurisdiction. On March 17, police arrested the three accused, who were presented in court and remanded to police custody for four days. All three have been booked for murder. In a similar incident from 2015, a 32-year-old car washer in India died after a colleague inserted a high-pressure air hose into his rectum as a prank. The victim, identified as Shankar Mandal, was working at a car service centre in Kolkata when a coworker playfully inserted the hose and turned it on. The force of the compressed air caused severe internal injuries, leading to Mandal’s death. The accused was arrested, and police classified the act as an accident rather than intentional murder. Mar 17The day the trio was arrested
20 March,2025 09:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerADVERTISEMENT
