The Crime Branch in Vasai arrested a 40-year-old serial killer from Bengaluru. The killer Niranjan Kumar a native of Bihar’s Saran district, had been changing his locations, identities as well and profession in different states to remain at large despite committing heinous five murders. “The killer is a master of disguise who left behind a trail of deception and fear. He would work as a plumber, security guard, in a garage, box packaging firm, etc to maintain a low profile by changing his alias,” said a police official. Inspector Sameer Ahirrao of Crime Branch Unit 2, Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police, said, “Kumar first killed his step-mother and step-siblings in West Bengal in 2002 and later killed his best friend in 2008 in Vasai; ‘but he was never caught in any case.’ The Crime Branch officials have been investigating the unsolved cases registered at different police stations in the MBVV police commissionerate. “We were probing into a murder case of 2008 registered at Manikpur police station. The deceased Manoj Sah was the best friend of Kumar who killed him by banging his head against a wall, later strangled him using a shoelace and left for Surat where he remained underground by changing his identity,” said another officer privy to the investigation. Inspector Ahirrao said, “Kumar told us that his mother died when he was too young, so his father got married to a woman who would allegedly ill-treat him. He claimed that his father would also not take care of him properly. So, he killed his step-mother, two step sisters aged six and seven years old and a step-brother who was only two years old in 2002 in the Haldia district of West Bengal.” “Though Kumar’s father had registered a murder case at a police station in Haldia but the case remained unsolved, as the killer had left the state and absconded to Maharashtra,” Ahirrao said. “He initially lived in Navi Mumbai before moving to Vasai, where he befriended Manoj Sah who got him a job for survival. They had been living in a chawl area in Vasai but over some dispute, Kumar killed Sah in 2008 and left Maharashtra for neighbouring state’s Surat city,” Ahirrao said. After scanning the case files of Sah, the Crime Branch officers reached his hometown in Chhapra city of Saran district in Bihar. “His neighbours and relatives told us that Kumar hardly visited once or twice since 2002. Though he had snapped contact with all his relatives he had got a voter ID card made in Bihar and through human intelligence network, we managed to get his mobile number,” Ahirrao said. The investigation team retrieved the call data records (CDR) and checked his mobile tower location which was Bengaluru. After getting the technical details, another team was dispatched to Bengaluru and Kumar was nabbed after 17 years. “Kumar was working as a plumber in Bengaluru. He changed his name to Raju, Ajay Vijay Shukla, Niranjan Kumar, Ranjan, etc to conceal his identity. We have been told that his father died in 2015. He was living with a woman, who he married in 2020,” said Ahirrao. Kumar will be produced before the local court in Vasai to seek his police custody for further investigation.
21 March,2025 09:51 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaThe Oshiwara Police have arrested a 25-year-old fraudster accused of duping people by offering fake online bookings for villas, resorts, and hotels. According to police sources, the accused lured victims by advertising attractive deals for luxury accommodations through social media and fraudulent websites. Once victims made advance payments, he would disappear without providing any bookings. The scam came to light after a 40-year-old real estate broker lost Rs 42,000 in January. The complainant, who was planning a holiday with family and friends in Karjat, Khopoli, or Lonavala, came across an Instagram advertisement from an account with over 14,000 followers. He clicked on the link, obtained a WhatsApp contact number, and initiated a conversation with the agent. "The accused offered a package of Rs 85,000 for an 18-member group for a two-day stay in Lonavala from March 16 to 18. He demanded an advance payment of Rs 42,000, which the complainant transferred from his bank account," said an officer. However, on February 1, some members of the travel group warned the complainant about the travel company's poor reputation. Sensing fraud, he contacted the agent to cancel the booking and requested a refund. The accused neither returned the money nor responded to calls or emails. After multiple failed attempts to reach the agent, the complainant reported the matter to the cyber helpline and subsequently filed an FIR at Oshiwara Police Station. Acting on the complaint, the police launched an investigation and arrested the accused in Pune. The arrested individual, identified as Akash Rupkumar Jadhvani (25), is a resident of Pant Nagar and has a history of similar fraud cases at Malabar Hill, LT Marg, and Vile Parle police stations. "Jadhvani used to stay in PG accommodations, using those addresses as proof of residence to open bank accounts where he deposited fraudulent money. Once a complaint was registered and his account was blocked, he would move to a new PG, open another bank account, and continue his fraudulent activities," the officer said. Under the supervision of Senior Inspector Mohan Patil and Police Inspector Prabhat Mankar, a cyber team comprising PSI Sharad Devde and Head Constable Ashok Konde tracked and apprehended him.
21 March,2025 08:54 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThree persons were arrested in connection with the death of a man amid Holi celebrations in Thane district on March 14, a police official said on Friday, reported news agency PTI. Satyaprakash Upadhyaya was part of group celebrating the festival by spraying water on each other in Varap village, which led to a dispute with Krishna Singh, Surabh Chanda and Manish Singh, Kalyan Taluka police station senior inspector Suresh Kadam said, reported PTI. "The three pushed a water hose into his pants, causing severe internal injuries after water entered his body through the anus. Upadhyaya was taken to a hospital in Ulhasnagar and then transferred to KEM Hospital in Mumbai, where he died on March 17. As per the post mortem report, he died of forced water intrusion," the official said, reported PTI. Krishna Singh, Surabh Chanda, and Manish Singh have been arrested under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions for murder and other offences, he added. 60-year-old woman killed at home in Thane district, jewellery looted A 60-year-old woman was murdered, and jewellery was looted from her home in Maharashtra's Thane district, a police official said on Friday, reported PTI. Rajni Patkar was alone in her apartment at a housing complex in Kalyan when she was targeted on Thursday evening. Police said there was forced entry to the house, reported PTI. The official said that Patkar, who was found in a pool of blood, died at the scene. Her mangalsutra and other jewellery in the house are missing, he said. A case has been registered and police are going through CCTV footage of the area for leads, the official added. Two brothers murdered by group of five over old enmity in Nashik Two brothers were killed allegedly by a group of persons over an old enmity in Maharashtra's Nashik city, a police official said on Thursday, reported PTI. The incident took place in Ambedkarwadi in Bodhale Nagar at 9:30pm on Wednesday and the deceased have been identified as siblings Umesh Jadhav (32) and Prashant Jadhav (30), the official said, reported PTI. "The two were attacked with sharp weapons and iron rods. They were rushed to the district hospital where doctors declared them dead on arrival. The attackers have been identified as Sagar Garad, Anil Redekar, Sachin Redekar, Yogesh Rokde and Avinash alias Sonu Ushire and efforts are on to nab them," he said, reported PTI. "The attack was the fallout of an old enmity and also due to efforts to establish supremacy in the area. A case has been registered under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for murder and other offences," the Upnagar police station official added. (With inputs from PTI)
21 March,2025 07:00 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA 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 KhanADVERTISEMENT
