A 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 IyerPolice seized 286.68 kg ganja valued at Rs 71.68 lakh after raiding a tenement in the Bandra area of Mumbai and arrested a 36-year-old man, an official said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. The accused, identified as Imran Kamaluddin Ansari, had allegedly brought the cannabis for selling it to customers, an official said, reported PTI. The seizure was made from a chawl (tenement) situated on K C Road in Bandra (west), reported PTI. A case was registered at Bandra police station. The crime branch is investigating the case, the official said. Rs 6.5 lakh ganja seized from tempo in Thane Police have seized ganja valued at Rs 6.52 lakh from a tempo lying abandoned in Thane city of Maharashtra, officials said on Tuesday, reported PTI. Some police personnel spotted the unattended vehicle on Retibunder-Shilphata Road here on March 15. During inspection, they found a large quantity of ganja, valued at Rs 6.52 lakh, inside the tempo. The contraband was being illegally transported, an official from Mumbra police station said, reported PTI. The vehicle was also seized. Authorities have intensified efforts to trace the tempo's owner and driver and crack down on the drug network operating in the region, the police said, reported PTI. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, they added. Navi Mumbai Police destroys seized drugs worth around Rs 10 crore In February, the Navi Mumbai Police in Maharashtra said that it destroyed seized drugs worth around Rs 10 crore. The destruction of drugs took place at Waste Management Ltd in Taloja MIDC, with senior officials present to oversee the process, an official said. The action followed the police's efforts over the past year. In 2023-2024, the Navi Mumbai police registered 1,143 narcotics-related cases and arrested 1,743 people involved in drug-related activities. These arrests resulted in the seizure of drugs worth Rs 56 crore, said an official. Among those arrested were 111 African nationals and 224 Bangladeshi citizens, with drugs worth Rs 38 crore recovered from them, an official statement said. The drugs destruction process was attended by prominent leaders including Ganesh Naik, Minister of Forests, Maharashtra; Prashant Thakur, MLA; and Milind Bharambe, Police Commissioner of Navi Mumbai. (With inputs from PTI)
19 March,2025 10:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTwo Mumbai Police personnel were arrested for allegedly accepting a Rs 20,000 bribe for releasing a car impounded for the investigation in a road accident case, an ACB official said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. The main accused, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sunil Desai, had allegedly demanded Rs 35,000 from the complainant who was booked in a road accident case and his car impounded, reported PTI. After negotiations, Desai allegedly agreed to accept Rs 20,000, the official said. He said the ACB stepped in after receiving a complaint against Desai. ACB officials arrested Constable Shendge for accepting the bribe on Tuesday. Desai was also held, reported PTI. The duo is attached to the MHB police station. They were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Further investigations are underway, the official added. Bombay HC denies pre-arrest bail to sessions court judge booked for bribery The Bombay High Court on Monday refused pre-arrest bail to a sessions court judge booked in a bribery case, reported PTI. Satara District and Sessions Judge Dhananjay Nikam was booked by the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to grant bail in a cheating case, reported PTI. A single bench of Justice N R Borkar, which had heard the matter in chamber as it involved a judicial officer, rejected the application saying it was not inclined to grant any relief. A copy of the detailed order will be available later. Nikam had approached HC in January seeking anticipatory bail claiming innocence and that he was implicated in the case. The petition, filed through advocate Viresh Purwant, said the FIR does not show any direct demand or acceptance of money by Nikam. It claimed he was neither aware of meetings between the complainant and other accused nor that the complainant was related to the accused seeking bail, reported PTI. The plea further said Nikam was on leave or deputation on key dates, which raises doubts about the allegations. As per the complaint lodged by a woman, her father, a civilian defence employee, is in judicial custody for allegedly cheating someone under the pretext of offering a government job. After a lower court denied him bail, the woman filed a fresh bail application in the Satara sessions court, which was to be heard by Nikam. The ACB alleged that two private individuals, Kishor Sambhaji Kharat from Mumbai and Anand Mohan Kharat from Satara, demanded Rs 5 lakh from the woman at Nikam's behest for a favourable order, reported PTI. The ACB claimed the bribe demand was verified during their investigation between December 3 and 9, 2024 confirming that Nikam, in collusion with Kishor Kharat and Anand Kharat, sought the bribe. The ACB has booked Nikam, Kishor Kharat, Anand Kharat and an unidentified individual under the Prevention of Corruption Act, reported PTI. Nikam, in his petition, said he neither avoided hearing the bail application nor made any promise of favourable orders. The petition also claimed no such bail orders were passed during the period. (With inputs from PTI)
19 March,2025 10:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA local court in Mumbai has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against New India Co-operative (NIC) Bank's former chairman Hiren Bhanu and his wife Gauri Bhanu, the officials said on Wednesday, reported the PTI. The two has fled the country just before the Rs 122 crore embezzlement case came to light last month, officials said. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police, which is investigating the case, has so far arrested seven persons in connection with the case, an official said. "The bank's former chairman and vice chairman, Hiren Bhanu and his wife Gauri Bhanu, are wanted accused in the case. But they left the country on January 26 and February 10 respectively," he said, according to the PTI. As both are out of country and locating them was necessary for the probe of the case, a 'Blue Corner Notice' has been issued against them earlier, he said. "While investigating the case, the EOW had submitted an application before the court about issuing a non-bailable warrant against the Bhanu couple. Accordingly, the court has issued a non-bailable warrant against the couple," he said, as per the PTI. The EOW's probe team failed to find the couple at their known addresses, he said. The search was conducted at their owned and rented apartments in south Mumbai, the official said. According to him, another accused, Unnathan Arunachalam, was hiding in Bihar before being arrested. The police have said that Rs 122 crore were siphoned off from the safes of the bank's Prabhadevi and Goregaon offices in Mumbai. Former General Manager and Head of Accounts at the bank, Hitesh Mehta, was arrested on February 15, following which six other accused were held. Last week, the Mumbai Police conducted a polygraph test on Mehta. According to EOW sources, the test results indicate possible deception in Mehta's responses. The police authorities are probing further financial transactions and possible involvement of more individuals in the large-scale scam, the official said. He added that more arrests in the coming days were very likely as the investigation in the matter further progresses, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
19 March,2025 08:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a shocking incident, a 16-year-old minor college student allegedly fatally stabbed a 20-year-old youth in Vasari Hill Road in Malad area of Mumbai, the police officials said on Wednesday. According to the police sources, the incident took place in the wee hours between 1:45 am and 2 am near in Vasari Hill Road, Malad West. The suspect allegedly stabbed the deceased, identified as Anyant Singh, multiple times on the head, throat, back, and abdomen with a sharp knife before fleeing the scene. Locals rushed Singh to the hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival, officials said. Following the incident, the Malad police registered a case against the suspect and began investigations under the guidance of DCP Anand Bhoite (Zone XI) and police Inspector Arvind Ghag. API Deepak Raiwade, PSI Tushar Sukhdev, and their detection team initiated an investigation and apprehended the accused within four hours, an official said. The police were shocked to discover that the suspect in the brutal murder case was only 16 years and 5 months old, who was detained by the police, said an official. During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and revealed that the deceased, along with his friends, had allegedly assaulted him outside the college sometime ago, sources said. They said that the group had also recorded a video of the assault, which was later made viral on social media. As a result, the suspect faced widespread humiliation and was deeply angered. Seeking revenge, he attacked Anyant when they came face to face yesterday, recalling all the past incidents. Further investigation revealed that the suspect was a 12th-grade student at a college in Malad, while the deceased worked at a garbage cleaning unit. The deceased was part of a group that included several local boys, some of whom also studied at the same college as the accused. In January, Anyant and his friends allegedly attacked the accused outside the college, beat him up, and made the video go viral, which was later broadcast on news television channels. The viral video had a profound impact on the accused, leaving him deeply angered towards Anyant and his friends. This lingering resentment is believed to have led to the fatal attack, said an officer from the Malad police station. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and since the suspect is a minor, he has been sent to a correctional home, he said. Further investigation in the matter was underway, said senior inspector Vijaykumar Panhale Malad police station.
19 March,2025 08:38 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanADVERTISEMENT
