In a major crackdown, the Ghatkopar Unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) has arrested three people and seized 1.18 kilogrammes of mephedrone (MD) – a banned synthetic drug – having a value of more than Rs 2.03 crore in the illicit market. The action was a part of a special patrolling drive near Ghatkopar Bus Stop, where two suspects were intercepted. Officers recovered 257 grams of MD from a 40-year-old Kandivali (West) resident and an additional 156 grams from a 29-year-old Andheri (West) resident. Based on their interrogation, the ANC traced a third suspect to Andheri (West), from whom they seized another 605 grams of the drug. A case has been registered against the trio under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. All the three are currently in police custody. Investigators believe that the accused are part of a larger drug trafficking network operating across the Ghatkopar and Andheri areas of Mumbai. Police are now probing their connections and supply chain, and are examining digital records, call data, and financial transactions to uncover the broader syndicate. Meanwhile, the ANC has urged citizens to join the fight against narcotics by reporting any credible information. Tip-offs can be shared with the ANC, Mumbai Crime Branch at 981911222 or via the Narcotics Control Bureau’s toll-free helpline ‘MANAS’ at 1933.
19 June,2025 09:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a major crackdown, the Ghatkopar Unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) has arrested three people and seized 1.18 kilogrammes of mephedrone (MD) – a banned synthetic drug – having a value of more than Rs 2.03 crore in the illicit market. The action was a part of a special patrolling drive near Ghatkopar Bus Stop, where two suspects, identified as Narayan Chaudhary, 40, from Kandivali (West) and Aamir Khan, 29, from Andheri (West), were intercepted. Officers recovered 257 grams of MD from Chaudhary and 156 grams from Khan. Based on their interrogation, the ANC traced a third suspect to Andheri (West), from whom they seized another 605 grams of the drug. The identity of the 30-year-old accused, however, has been withheld pending further investigation. A case has been registered against the trio under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. All the three are currently in police custody. Investigators believe that the accused are part of a larger drug trafficking network operating across the Ghatkopar and Andheri areas of Mumbai. Police are now probing their connections and supply chain, and are examining digital records, call data, and financial transactions to uncover the broader syndicate. Meanwhile, the ANC has urged citizens to join the fight against narcotics by reporting any credible information. Tip-offs can be shared with the ANC, Mumbai Crime Branch at 981911222 or via the Narcotics Control Bureau’s toll-free helpline ‘MANAS’ at 1933.
19 June,2025 09:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentCustoms officers seized 24.96 kilogrammes (kg) of hydroponic weed worth Rs 24.66 crore from two passengers Wednesday at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai. The operation led to the arrest of two passengers and one receiver involved in the illicit activity. Acting on specific intelligence, customs officers intercepted two passengers arriving from Bangkok and discovered the contraband from their luggage. The weed was concealed in vacuum-sealed packages. Following the interception, a coordinated operation led to the apprehension of the intended receiver, who was waiting to collect the consignment. The three accused have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Preliminary investigations suggest the involvement of an international drug trafficking syndicate. Further investigation is underway to trace the network’s operations, the customs department said in a press release. Mumbai: Beach clean-up leads to drug bust in Vasai A Hungarian environmentalist stumbled upon a suspicious packet weighing about 1 kg during a Sunday clean-up drive at Bena Beach in Vasai. Wrapped in multiple layers of plastic, the packet emitted a telltale odour when opened, prompting the beach cleaner to suspect it was charas, a banned narcotic. The environmentalist, Lisbon Ferrao, promptly handed over the packet to the Vasaigaon police, who registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown persons under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. “I found the packet while cleaning the beach with my team. It seemed suspicious due to its weight and wrapping. When I opened it and took a sniff, I suspected it was charas. I immediately handed it over to the police,” said Ferrao, who, along with his wife Zsuzsanna, has been conducting weekly beach clean-ups across Vasai taluka in Palghar. A senior police officer confirmed the development. “We’ve received the packet and registered an FIR under the NDPS Act. Prima facie, it appears to be charas. We’ve sent it to the Crime Branch for investigation, and it will be forwarded for forensic analysis to determine the exact substance,” he said. With no CCTV cameras installed along the beach, tracking the origin of the packet poses a challenge. “We will rely on our human intelligence network to investigate how the suspected contraband ended up on the beach,” the officer added. Ferrao believes the packet may have washed ashore after falling off a passing consignment, though he said, “The cops can investigate and find out the actual reason.” This is not Ferrao’s first unusual find. In January 2022, he recovered a human skull and bones during a clean-up drive, which were later sent for forensic analysis. Then, in December 2022, he and his wife were shocked to find demonetised currency notes worth Rs 57,000 abandoned along the shoreline.
19 June,2025 07:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA 21-year-old student was found dead under mysterious circumstances at a college in Vile Parle East in suburban Mumbai on Thursday following which the police has launched a probe into the matter, officials said. While it is suspected to be a case of suicide, police are also probing if she accidentally fell from a higher floor of the college building, they said. Officials from the Vile Parle police station are closely examining CCTV footage from the premises to determine the exact sequence of events and establish the reason behind the tragic incident. The cops are yet to recover any suicide note from the site of incident. “We have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in connection with the matter. We are not sure if it was a case of suicide or she slipped from the third floor of the building. We are yet to find any suicide note from the incident site,” said a senior officer. Further investigations are underway, said the police official. If you or anyone you know is experiencing distress, please reach out for help: MPower Mental Health Helpline: 1800-120-820050 AASRA / Vandrewala Foundation: 9999666555 iCall (TISS): 9152987821 (Monday–Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm) Samaritans Mumbai: 8422984528
19 June,2025 05:24 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaMumbai Customs on Thursday said that it has seized diamonds worth Rs 1.07 crore which were hidden in body cavity of a passenger at Mumbai airport. According to the customs department, an Indian passenger travelling from Mumbai to Dubai was caught by Mumbai Customs Zone-III officials with foreign currency and diamonds worth more than Rs 1.7 crore. It said that acting on specific intelligence, Mumbai Customs officials intercepted an Indian national at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMI) who was about to board an Indigo flight to Dubai on June 17, 2025. "Upon checking the passenger’s baggage and conducting a personal search, officials found 50,000 Saudi Riyals, equivalent to approximately Rs 11.15 lakh, concealed in a black sling bag. They also discovered lab-grown diamonds weighing 406.90 carats, valued at Rs 47.22 lakh, and natural diamonds weighing 245.30 carats, valued at Rs 1.23 crore, hidden in three pouches inside the passenger’s body cavity," officials said. The total seizure included diamonds weighing 652.20 carats and foreign currency, with a combined value of Rs 1,70,94,900, they said. Mumbai Customs further said that the entire amount has been seized and further investigation is currently underway.
19 June,2025 05:22 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police on Wednesday arrested Purushottam Chavan, husband of an IPS officer, for allegedly duping a Surat-based businessman and others of Rs 7.42 crore, reported news agency PTI. EOW officials took Chavan, already arrested in another case, in their custody in the evening. He will be produced before a court on Thursday, an official said, reported PTI. Chavan, married to IPS officer Rashmi Karandikar, allegedly accepted money from the businessman with a false promise of selling plots from 'government quota' at a discounted rate, he said, reported PTI. He also allegedly promised to help the businessman get contracts for supplying T-shirts to the Maharashtra Police Academy, the official said, reported PTI. Last month, the EOW had arrested Chavan in a similar case where he is accused of duping several persons of Rs 24.78 crore by promising to sell government quota flats in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune at concessional rates. Man, son held for cheating trader of diamonds worth 1.93 crore In another case, a man and his son have been arrested nearly seven months after they were booked in a cheating case involving diamonds worth Rs 1.93 crore, a Mumbai police official said on Wednesday, reported PTI. According to the BKC police official, Kishor Abhangi and his son Maulik deceived the complainant by posing as diamond traders, reported PTI. The official said that the complainant, Priyank Mahendrakumar Shah, is a diamond merchant and he and his brother operate from the Bharat Diamond Bourse at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in the city, reported PTI. "The accused were introduced to the Shah brothers by a diamond broker in September last year. Kishor and Maulik claimed to be catering to big clients. Over a short period, the two sides built a business relationship," the official said. The accused one day visited Shah's office claiming that a reputed client needed high-quality diamonds. They persuaded the complainant to hand over 459 carats of diamonds worth Rs 1.93 crore to them, promising to close the deal within a few days. A week later, Shah contacted them, but the accused claimed they had shown the diamonds to the client and the deal would soon be finalised. When Shah made multiple calls to the accused, as there was no update even after a month, the two became unreachable, the official said, reported PTI. Shah then lodged a complaint with the BKC police. "After verification, the police registered a case against Kishor and Maulik. More than seven months later, both accused were arrested in Mumbai on Tuesday. Further investigation is underway," the official added. (With inputs from PTI)
19 June,2025 10:13 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA man and his son have been arrested nearly seven months after they were booked in a cheating case allegedly involving diamonds worth Rs 1.93 crore, a Mumbai Police official said on Wednesday, reported the PTI. According to a Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) police official, Kishor Abhangi and his son Maulik allegedly deceived the complainant by posing as diamond traders. The official said that the complainant, Priyank Mahendrakumar Shah, is a diamond merchant and he and his brother operate from the Bharat Diamond Bourse at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in the city. "The accused were introduced to the Shah brothers by a diamond broker in September last year. Kishor and Maulik claimed to be catering to big clients. Over a short period, the two sides built a business relationship," the official said, according to the PTI. The accused one day visited Shah's office claiming that a reputed client needed high-quality diamonds. They persuaded the complainant to hand over 459 carats of diamonds worth Rs 1.93 crore to them, promising to close the deal within a few days. A week later, Shah contacted them, but the accused claimed they had shown the diamonds to the client and the deal would soon be finalised. When Shah made multiple calls to the accused, as there was no update even after a month, the two became unreachable, the official said. Shah then lodged a complaint with the BKC police. "After verification, the police registered a case against Kishor and Maulik. More than seven months later, both accused were arrested in Mumbai on Tuesday. Further investigation is underway," the official added, the news agency reported. Cyber fraudsters accuse Mumbai woman of spying for Pak, dupe her of Rs 22 lakh In an another incident, a cyber fraudsters posing as Delhi ATS and Jammu & Kashmir police personnel cheated an elderly woman from Mumbai of Rs 22 lakh after accusing her of spying for Pakistan, officials said on Wednesday, as per the PTI. This is the first case in the city of a cyber fraud using espionage as a guise to cheat people, an official claimed. The 64-year-old woman, who lives at Girgaon in south Mumbai, approached South Region Cyber Police Station last week. As per her complaint, she received three calls earlier this month from unidentified numbers. The caller posed as "Delhi ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad) officer Prem Kumar Gupta" and posted at "Jammu and Kashmir Border Police Station", the official said. He told the woman that a case was registered against her for sharing sensitive information with Pakistan, he said. The fraudster then threatened her saying she would face 10-year imprisonment for espionage along with a fine of Rs 50 lakh. He also shared a photo of his ID card with the woman on her phone to make her believe the claims, the official said. Scared of arrest and other legal complications, the woman deposited Rs 22.4 lakh in various bank accounts, which were provided by the fraudster between June 5 and 10, he said. The woman stopped getting the phone calls after she paid the money, and later realised she was cheated. (with PTI inputs)
18 June,2025 09:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs many as eighteen police officials and 12 Bangladeshi nationals were injured in a pile-up of police convoy vehicles on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in Raigad district of Maharashtra on Wednesday morning, officials said, reported the PTI. The accident took place after one of the vehicles suddenly applied brakes in a tunnel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, they said. The injured police officials were part of a team of officials who were on way to Pune airport to process the deportation of 12 Bangladeshi nationals. The Bangladeshi nationals, arrested in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) for illegal stay, were being taken to the Pune airport for deportation, they said, according to the PTI. One of the police personnel is in a serious condition following the accident, an official said. "The incident occurred around 8 am inside the Bhatan tunnel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Rasayani in Raigad district. Eight police vehicles, which were part of the convoy of Mumbai, Thane, Mira Bhayandar and Navi Mumbai police, were on the way to the Pune airport," he said, as per the PTI. Twelve Bangladeshi nationals, who were arrested earlier for illegal stay and were lodged in various jails, were being taken to the Pune airport for deportation, he said. The driver of one of the police vehicles suddenly applied brakes when it reached the tunnel, which led to five other vehicles in the convoy to hit each other, which created a pile-up, he said. "At least 18 police personnel and 12 Bangladeshi nationals sustained injuries in the accident," the official said, adding that a personnel of the Protection Branch of the Mumbai police is in a critical condition. All the injured persons were rushed to the MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai and are undergoing treatment, he said. The accident led to a heavy traffic jam on the expressway for some time and the movement of vehicles was restored after the vehicles were towed away from the spot, the police official said, the news agency reported. A case is being registered at the Rasayani police station in Raigad, he said, adding that senior police officials visited the injured police personnel at the hospital. (with PTI inputs)
18 June,2025 08:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has registered an FIR against Ecstasy Realty Private Limited — a defaulting borrower of Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (EARCL) — along with its key promoters and associated entities, for alleged large-scale financial fraud. Those named in the FIR include Shobhit J. Rajan (promoter-director of Ecstasy Realty), Naresh Bajaj, Pulin Bole, Pranav Bajaj, Shivani Verma, and related companies, including Prabal Infra Agro Farms Pvt. Ltd. and Maharashtra Eco Green Pvt. Ltd. The case follows a detailed complaint filed by Edelweiss ARC, stating that Rs 600 crore was raised by Ecstasy Realty through secured Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) to fund a residential project named Parthenon. According to the FIR, registered under various sections of the IPC, including 420 and 120-B at Juhu Police Station, the borrower allegedly failed to record the transaction in official documentation and unlawfully diverted a large amount of funds to unrelated accounts. Fake utilisation certificates were reportedly submitted to justify the misuse of funds, said the source. EOW Mumbai is actively investigating the matter to uncover the full extent of the wrongdoing and is expected to take stringent action against all parties involved, added the source. Mithi River desilting scam: ED summons Dino Morea again for questioning in money laundering case Similarly, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday issued a fresh summons to Bollywood actor Dino Morea. Dino Morea, who has been under the radar of investigation agencies related to the Mithi River Scam, was previously questioned by the ED. His statements at the ED office in Mumbai were recorded on 12 June previously. Sources have revealed that the ED has asked Dino to appear for questioning again on 18 June. Earlier on June 6, ED, taking cognisance of the case which was being previously handled by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) raided the actor’s Bandra house. The raid on Dino Morea’s house on June 6 went on for several hours before he, along with his brother Santino, was asked to present before the ED on 12 June. Sources say that a search at Dino Morea's was conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ED officials during the raid went through the financial documents and digital transactions to gather suspected evidence regarding Dino’s involvement in the diversion of public funds. The investigation agencies are investigating whether the Bollywood actor played any role in helping the accused to influence contractors. The Mithi River case involves alleged irregularities and financial misconduct in the desilting of the Mithi River. The Mithi River is a key flood-control project in Mumbai that helps in maintaining industrial and residential drainage across the city.
18 June,2025 06:15 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaThe officials on Wednesday said that cyber fraudsters posing as Delhi ATS and Jammu and Kashmir police personnel cheated an elderly woman from Mumbai of Rs 22 lakh after accusing her of spying for Pakistan, reported news agency PTI. This is the first case in the city of a cyber fraud using espionage as a guise to cheat people, an official claimed. The 64-year-old woman, who lives at Girgaon in south Mumbai, approached the South Region Cyber Police Station last week, reported PTI. As per her complaint, she received three calls earlier this month from unidentified numbers. The caller posed as "Delhi ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad) officer Prem Kumar Gupta" and posted at "Jammu and Kashmir Border Police Station", the official said, reported PTI. He told the woman that a case was registered against her for sharing sensitive information with Pakistan, he said. The fraudster then threatened her saying she would face 10-year imprisonment for espionage along with a fine of Rs 50 lakh. He also shared a photo of his ID card with the woman on her phone to make her believe the claims, the official said, reported PTI. Scared of arrest and other legal complications, the woman deposited Rs 22.4 lakh in various bank accounts, which were provided by the fraudster between June 5 and 10, he said, reported PTI. The woman stopped getting the phone calls after she paid the money and later realised she was cheated. She lodged a complaint with the South Region Cyber police on June 13, based on which a case was registered against unidentified persons under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, the official said. Five booked for cheating Dombivli man of Rs 19.6 lakh In another case, a 32-year-old man from Dombivli in Thane district was allegedly cheated of Rs 19.6 lakh by five persons who promised to get him a flat in a Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) building in Mumbai, police said on Sunday, reported PTI. Based on a complaint, the police have registered a case under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), an official said. He said the accused approached the complainant in December 2020 and promised to help him get a flat under the MHADA housing scheme in Prabhadevi, reported PTI. "The complainant transferred Rs 19.6 lakh to the accused over three years. However, despite repeated assurances, no flat was allotted to him. When he confronted the accused and demanded a refund, they refused to return the money and stopped responding to him," the official said, reported PTI. The police are examining the financial trail and communication between the parties as part of their ongoing investigation, he said. (With inputs from PTI)
18 June,2025 01:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe officials said that the Mumbai Police on Tuesday filed cases against Rapido and Uber bike taxis on the charge of cheating for operating services and transporting passengers illegally and without permission of the state government in the city, reported news agency PTI. The Mumbai Police on Tuesday filed cases against Rapido and Uber bike taxis on the charge of cheating for operating services and transporting passengers illegally and without permission of the state government in the city, officials said, reported PTI. The case was registered against both companies at the Azad Maidan police station based on the complaint filed by a Regional Transport Office (RTO) inspector, an official said, adding that RTO officers had booked dummy rides, reported PTI. The orders about taking stringent action against both the app-based aggregator services for the transportation of the passengers illegally, were issued by the transport commissioner, he said. In April, the RTO had issued notice to Rapido for transporting passengers illegally and without any license, he said. Accordingly, the RTO officials on Tuesday approached the police and filed a complaint stating that Rapido and Uber bike companies are transporting passengers through online apps without any licence and permission from the state government as well as RTO, he said, reported PTI. Based on that a case for the charges of cheating under section 318(3) of BNS and various sections of Motor Vehicle Act was registered against both the companies, he said, adding the probe was underway, reported PTI. Maharashtra govt issues draft rules for e-bike taxi services, seeks suggestions from stakeholders In May, the Maharashtra government had issued a draft notification detailing the proposed rules for electric bike taxi services across the state and also invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders by June 5, reported news agency PTI. Issued on May 22 as part of a government resolution (GR) titled the "Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules, 2025", the draft framework aims to regulate digital aggregators and operators of two-wheeler taxi services under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, reported PTI. On April 1, the Maharashtra cabinet approved the introduction of electric bike taxis for cities with at least one lakh population, aiming to create more than 10,000 jobs in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and another 10,000 in the rest of the state. A "bike taxi" typically refers to a ride-hailing service that uses motorcycles or other two-wheeled vehicles to ferry passengers. (With inputs from PTI)
18 June,2025 09:16 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
