More than 50 individuals have been taken into custody, and five First Information Reports (FIRs) have been lodged in connection with the recent violence that broke out in Maharashtra’s Nagpur city, according to PTI reports. The violence erupted on Monday evening, prompting a swift police response to contain the unrest. As per PTI, Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal confirmed that the disturbances began after rumours circulated about the alleged burning of a holy book belonging to a particular community. The unrest reportedly stemmed from an agitation by a right-wing group demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb, located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Singal said, “The police have taken more than 50 persons into custody and registered five FIRs at various police stations in connection with the violence.” He added that the police acted swiftly to prevent the situation from escalating further. Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule held a review meeting with the police commissioner and the district collector to assess the situation. According to PTI, Bawankule highlighted that social media was misused to incite tensions and vitiate the atmosphere. He urged political parties not to exploit the situation for political gains and appealed to all communities to maintain peace and harmony. "Social media was used to vitiate the atmosphere and there was no failure on the part of the home department. The police acted as a shield between the Hindu and Muslim communities during the violence, and several policemen sustained injuries while managing the situation," Bawankule said, as per PTI. Bawankule also reassured the public that the situation in Nagpur is currently under control, though tensions remain high in some areas. "The situation is a little tense, but there is peace in the city with an adequate police force deployed," he stated. According to PTI, local authorities have intensified security measures across sensitive areas in Nagpur to prevent any further escalation. Police patrols have been increased, and additional forces have been stationed at key points to maintain order. The five FIRs registered pertain to charges of rioting, damage to public property, and assault on police personnel. Officials have confirmed that they are working to identify other individuals involved in the violence through CCTV footage and witness statements. (With inputs from PTI)
18 March,2025 01:22 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA dispute over a pet dog bite in Thane city escalated into a violent altercation, leaving a 45-year-old man severely injured, according to the police. As per PTI reports, the incident took place on March 14 in Balkum Pada, where the victim, a resident of the locality, was bitten by his neighbour’s pet dog. Following the incident, the victim confronted the dog’s owner, advising him to keep the animal under control to prevent such incidents in the future, an officer from the Kapurbawdi Police Station said. The discussion soon turned heated, leading to a quarrel between the two neighbours. According to PTI, the dog’s owner, in a fit of rage, allegedly assaulted the victim with a cricket bat. The sudden escalation of the argument into physical violence left the victim with serious injuries. The injured man was promptly rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is undergoing treatment for his injuries, PTI reports. The extent of the injuries has not been disclosed, but officials confirmed that the victim suffered grievous harm due to the attack. Political meddling stifling dog birth control programme in Mumbai, allege activists While BMC records show 14,954 dog sterilisations in 2023, animal activist Santosh Shirke has claimed that sterilisations surgeries conducted under the dog birth control programme have actually plummeted from 24,000 in 2017, to under 12,000 in 2023. Shirke attributes the alarming decline to undue political interference and manipulation of tenders in municipal corporations. Shirke, who is based in Pune and represents the Federation of Animal Welfare Organisations, has raised serious concerns over the dwindling numbers of dog sterilisation surgeries across Maharashtra and other parts of the country. In a letter to the chief minister, he has alleged gross negligence by civic officials. “The federation is seeking nothing extraordinary. We need to balance human rights and animal welfare. Such political interference and constant pressure is leading to citizens taking laws into their own hands, resulting in the brutal treatment of dogs and puppies,” said Santosh Shirke, secretary, Federation of Animal Welfare Organisations. “For the last several years, the number of birth control surgeries for dogs per month has been going down drastically. This has led to a rise in dog bites,” said Manoj Oswal, president of Janice Smith Animal Welfare Trust. Political influence Shirke and Oswal alleged that certain political leaders seek absolute control over the “lucrative” dog control programme, focusing on high-budget cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune. These leaders have allegedly written direct letters to municipal commissioners, pressuring them to allocate tenders to specific organisations while side-lining others. “In many instances, municipal commissioners have been compelled to transfer tenders to non-bidding parties or lower-ranked bidders (L2/L3) while bypassing the legitimate winners. In some cases, work orders have been suspended or stopped entirely due to political pressure,” said Shirke. Call for transparency Animal welfare advocates and civic activists are demanding an independent inquiry into the alleged manipulation of municipal tenders. They insist on transparency in awarding contracts to ensure that experienced and qualified organisations handle dog sterilisation efforts rather than politically favoured entities with no expertise. According to the guidelines laid down by the Animal Welfare Board of India, the number of dogs can be controlled only if 30 per cent of the dogs are sterilised every year. Considering the current stray dog population in Mumbai, it is necessary to sterilise 32,000-34,000 dogs every year and a minimum of 365 dogs every month. Rising dog bite cases Data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Deonar Abattoir office reveals a sharp rise in reported dog bite cases in Mumbai from 2020 to 2023. Obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act last year, the data has raised serious concerns about public safety and animal welfare. Social activist Jeetendra Ghadge, who filed the RTI and is part of The Young Whistleblowers Foundation, said, “The rising cases show the failure of sterilisation programmes. I haven’t received 2024 data yet, but I’m sure cases have increased. The stray dog population is growing, and I see no intervention from the civic body.” Neal Shah, a Charni Road resident, said, “I have been feeding dogs for the past decade and currently feed at least 80 to 100 dogs daily. I started with five to ten dogs, but the number gradually increased. Whenever I see a rise in the number of stray dogs, I report this to animal NGOs and the BMC, which helps get them sterilised. However, dog bites increase when animals are hungry or unsterilised, and this needs urgent attention from the civic body.” Ghadge added: “BMC should not only address stray dog populations but also establish a dedicated portal for reporting complaints related to cruelty towards stray dogs and also towards pet dogs by their owners.” ‘A serious concern’ Speaking to mid-day, Pawan Sharma, founder and president of Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare, said, “Community animal population is a serious concern across the country, and ABC programmes are the only legal, ethical, and humane solution to address it. Unfortunately, the current focus has been limited to dogs, while other animals such as cats, pigs, mules, donkeys, horses and abandoned cattle continue to multiply unchecked.” “The BMC has the resources and potential to set a benchmark in animal welfare. If executed effectively, its model could be replicated across other cities and towns, significantly improving the conditions of community animals.” (With PTI inputs)
18 March,2025 01:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe police in Thane city have seized ganja worth Rs 6.52 lakh from an abandoned tempo, reported news agency PTI. The incident took place on March 15 when some police personnel noticed an unattended vehicle on the Retibunder-Shilphata Road in Thane. According to an officer from Mumbra Police Station, the cops became suspicious upon spotting the tempo parked on the side of the road without any sign of the driver or owner. Upon inspecting the vehicle, they discovered a large quantity of ganja hidden inside, estimated to be worth Rs 6.52 lakh. As per PTI, the police immediately seized the vehicle and the contraband. The authorities have launched an investigation to identify the owner and driver of the tempo. Police believe that the seized ganja was being illegally transported, and efforts are underway to trace the individuals involved in the smuggling operation. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the police confirmed. Under this act, the possession, transport, and sale of narcotic substances are strictly prohibited and punishable by law. PTI reports that the police are now focusing on dismantling the larger drug network operating in the region. "We are working to identify the source of the ganja and the intended destination. This appears to be part of a larger drug supply chain operating in Thane and adjoining areas," the official stated. Drug addiction a 'quasi pandemic'; strict compliance with rules needed during arrest: Bombay High Court Drug trafficking is a serious crime and drug addiction is a "quasi pandemic", the Bombay High Court has said, stressing the need for authorities to scrupulously follow the mandated rules while arresting a person and during recovery procedure. People dealing in drugs in the society need to be dealt with an iron fist but it cannot be at the cost of liberty of an individual, a single bench of Justice Milind Jadhav said in an order passed recently. The court made the remarks while granting bail to four persons arrested in 2023 for alleged possession of medicinal drugs under provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The accused, while seeking bail, raised procedural irregularities by authorities when they were arrested and also while carrying out search of their residential premises. The bench in its order said the prosecuting agency has to strictly follow the procedure laid down in law during recovery procedure. "This is because the liberty of an accused is too precious of a right to be taken away on the basis of flimsy/arbitrary procedure," the Bombay High Court said, reported PTI. The bench said the case has got it thinking "deeply" of the repercussions of drug abuse, which is a result its smugglers, peddlers, traffickers. "Drug trafficking is a serious crime and the menace of drug traffickers is prevalent not just in India but across the globe. I will not be wrong to describe that drug/ psychotropic addiction is a quasi pandemic," the judge said, reported PTI. The miscreants dealing in drugs in society need to be dealt with an iron fist but it cannot be at the cost of liberty of an individual, the Bombay High Court said, reported PTI. As per the bail plea, all the accused were medical representatives working with pharmaceutical companies. Advocate Ayaz Khan, appearing for the accused persons, submitted that they have been in custody for more than a year now and have no criminal antecedents. The bench said that to strike a delicate balance between the interest of the nation on one hand and rights of the accused on the other, it is the duty of the investigation officer to ensure strict compliance of procedure, reported PTI. The court also noted that the accused persons are medical representatives, who are not likely to repeat the offence if released on bail. Justice Jadhav said while he vocalises the need for investigation authorities to follow the procedure under the NDPS Act scrupulously, he was equally aware of the difficulties faced by prosecutors who on a daily basis venture on an insurmountable task of defending the non-compliance by authorities, reported PTI. The purpose of courts is to secure the rights of citizens and hence they should not mechanically reject bail pleas just to back the cause of "national importance and international prevalence", he said, reported PTI. The bench referred to a 2024 communication issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to all state governments in respect of the Model FIR in registration of cases under the NDPS Act and associate (relevant) documents. The HC directed for a copy of its order to be forwarded to all commissioners of police/superintendents of police in each district of the state for implementing provisions of the NDPS Act and rules strictly through the investigation agencies authorised under the NDPS Act. "We as a system also need to invest our resources on educating our statutory officers so as to enable them to discharge their wide powers with legal prudence and in accordance with the statute/ Rules as prescribed," the judge said, reported PTI. If laws and rules are strictly implemented and followed leaving no room for doubt or vitiation of procedure, then to a certain extent it may help in achieving a drug free society, the court said.
18 March,2025 12:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTension gripped central Nagpur in Maharashtra on Monday when stones were hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb, the officials said, reported the PTI. Four persons were injured in the incident, the officials said. Following the incident Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis called for peace and asked people not to believe rumours. Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, also said he is in constant contact with the police and asked them to cooperate with the people. "Nagpur is a peaceful city where people share in each other's joys and sorrows, which has always been Nagpur's tradition. Do not believe any rumours," he added, according to the PTI. pic.twitter.com/kgz7IJ1ZOM — Nagpur City Police (@NagpurPolice) March 17, 2025 Police fired tear gas shells and resorted to cane-charge to disperse the mob in Chitnis Park and Mahal areas. Violence also reportedly spread to Kotwali and Ganeshpeth in the late afternoon, officials said, as per the PTI. "Police are managing the situation following stone pelting and tense situation in the Mahal area," the chief minister said in a statement.A complaint was lodged at Ganeshpeth police station in Nagpur the evening alleging the burning of a holy book. Following the complaint, a large number of a community members started gathering in various parts of the city, including Mahal, Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, and Chitanvis Park, police said, adding that sensing trouble, police intensified patrolling and summoned additional security forces to maintain law and order, as per the PTI. Meanwhile, Union minister Nitin Gadkari also appealed for peace and harmony amid violence in parts of Nagpur city. "Nagpur always has a history of peace. I appeal to all my brothers to maintain peace. Do not believe rumours and do not come on roads," the Union minister said in a video message, as per the PTI. नागपूरच्या नागरिकांना विनम्र आवाहन. pic.twitter.com/2jcCv4AaVN — Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 17, 2025 Gadkari appealed to people to cooperate with the administration in maintaining the law and order and the tradition of harmony. He said the government would take action against those who indulged in unlawful activities. Nitin Gadkari said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is monitoring the situation. (with PTI inputs)
18 March,2025 11:40 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Bombay High Court has granted bail to Akhil Lakdawala, the brother of gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, who was arrested in 2019 for attempting to extort money from a businessman in Khar. The court noted that the prosecution has no evidence apart from confessional statements and observed that the trial is unlikely to conclude soon. The court stated that prolonged incarceration would amount to a violation of fundamental rights. Along with Akhil, his associate Sagar Yadav was also granted bail on similar grounds. The bail was granted on February 25, and a detailed order was issued recently. The court also observed that material on record indicated that Ejaz’s daughter, Shifa Lakdawala, was arrested in a fake case by the Crime Branch to pressure him into surrendering to the police. In an interview with mid-day in February 2020, Shifa claimed that the police used her as bait to reach her father. She was arrested at Mumbai international airport while flying to Nepal on allegations of using fake documents to obtain her passport. The court noted that “the record also shows that during the investigation, the prosecution arrested Ejaz Lakdawala’s daughter—who is married and resides in Mumbai—in a false case with the intention of pressurising him to surrender to the police. After Ejaz Lakdawala’s arrest from Patna in January 2020, the prosecution discharged her from the case”. Court observations The court noted that, according to the prosecution’s report, eight more witnesses are yet to be examined. However, the prosecution informed the court that it could not provide details of these witnesses as it was unsure whether they would turn up to give evidence. In the absence of these witnesses, other panch witnesses might have to be examined. “Considering the exigency expressed by the prosecution, I am inclined to consider the present application for bail on the grounds of the applicants’ long incarceration in prison,” the judge stated in the order. The court further noted that the applicants have been in custody for almost six years, and the trial is unlikely to conclude in the foreseeable future. “Detaining an under-trial individual for such an extended period violates his fundamental right to a speedy trial flowing from Article 21 of the Constitution,” the court observed. The court also cited the Supreme Court’s stance that under-trial or accused persons who have been in prolonged incarceration, with no possibility of trial completion soon, can be granted bail. “Bail is the rule and jail is an exception,” the court remarked. Case background The Khar-based businessman received an extortion call on December 5, 2018, allegedly from a foreign number. The caller, claiming to be gang leader Ejaz Lakdawala, demanded Rs 50 lakh as extortion money. A complaint was lodged at Khar police station, with the businessman stating that death threats had been made against him and his employees. During the investigation, the prosecution arrested the complainant’s business partner, which the court noted prima facie diluted the case against the applicants. The court observed that the prosecution’s evidence mainly consisted of Call Detail Records (CDRs) and confessional statements, but no direct role of the applicants was established. “The only piece of prima facie material is the confessional statement of Ejaz Lakdawala, which states that his brother, Akhil alias Akil Merchant, had settled the matter for R10 lakh and had provided information to his brother, pursuant to which extortion calls were made,” the court said.However, the court noted that the arrest of the complainant’s business partner further weakened the prosecution’s case against Akhil, indicating that the extortion call could not be solely attributed to him. The prosecution claimed that the applicants were constantly in contact with the head of the organised crime syndicate, Ejaz Lakdawala, and co-accused Sagar Yadav, through mobile phones during the commission of the offence. CDRs were presented as evidence to support the prosecution’s case. The court concluded, “It is clarified that the observations made in this order are for the purpose of granting bail and do not reflect any opinion on merits of the case. The trial shall proceed on its own merits, based on evidence and in accordance with the law.” Ejaz Lakdawala’s arrest Ejaz, once a leading sharpshooter with the D Company, was arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch in January 2020 from Patna after being on the run for 20 years. He was associated with Dawood Ibrahim before the split between Dawood and Chhota Rajan in 2000, after he formed his own gang. 2019Year Akhil Lakdawala was arrested
18 March,2025 07:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanIn a major development in the Rs 122 crore embezzlement case involving the New India Cooperative (NIC) Bank, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested a Mumbai BJP leader's brother, an official said on Monday. The officials said that Haji Javed Azam, the younger brother of BJP’s former Maharashtra secretary Hyder Azam, was arrested in the matter. Azam was taken into custody late Monday evening after his name surfaced during the interrogation of Unnathan Arunachalam, alias Arun Bhai, who was arrested on Saturday. Political Connection Unveiled Arunachalam was apprehended from the Crawford Market area, and during questioning, reportedly admitted to receiving ₹32 crore from Hitesh Mehta in 2021. Of this amount, Arunachalam claimed to have handed over Rs 15–20 crore to Javed Azam for safekeeping. Financial Trail and Evidence The EOW has gathered circumstantial evidence to support Arunachalam’s statements. Investigators discovered that Hitesh Mehta had withdrawn ₹18 crore from two separate banks, where the money was held as fixed deposits (FDs), before giving it to Arunachalam. Instead of being deposited in the NIC Bank, the funds were diverted to Arunachalam, while official records falsely stated that the cash was secured in the bank’s vault. Business Investment Angle The EOW is now scrutinizing Azam’s financial transactions and looking into whether his political connections played a role in concealing the crime. It is suspected that he invested the money in his business in Bihar.
17 March,2025 11:18 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanTwo people-- a mother and her daughter, were seriously injured after being hit by a speeding car on Lokhandwala Back Road in Andheri West in Mumbai on Sunday night following which the police has booked a 19-year-old driver, an official said on Monday. The police said that both were out for a walk after dinner when the incident took place. The Versova police have registered an FIR against the car driver and have begun an investigation in the matter, an official said. The injured persons were identified as Priyanka Agarwal and her mother, Barkha Thakur, both residents of Lokhandwala. Their relatives told mid-day that they take a walk together every night on the back road in Lokhandwala and were on their routine walk when the incident took place. According to a police official, the incident occurred around 10:30 pm when Barkha and Priyanka were walking. A speeding car lost control and rammed into a parked bus. The driver also hit pedestrians. A close relative of the victims told mid-day, "They walk together every night after dinner. After the incident, a person called from Barkha's phone to the last dialed number and informed the family. The locals rushed them to the hospital where they were admitted for further medical treatment. The locals gathered and came forward to help us." The relative added, "Both of them are admitted in Kokilaben Hospital and are out of danger, but they are badly injured. Our family is praying for their swift recovery." PSI Sandip Kaule of Versova Police Station said, "We have registered an FIR against the 19-year-old driver who was speeding. We have sent blood samples for testing to determine if he was intoxicated. He told the police that he lost control of the vehicle and caused the accident. We have also issued a notice for the driver to appear for questioning in the investigation."
17 March,2025 10:23 PM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaA 17-year-old boy and his 16-year-old girlfriend were detained for allegedly killing a septuagenarian in Palghar district, a police official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI. The official said 75-year-old Kishore Brijmohan Mishra, a vendor residing in Naigaon East, had gone missing on February 15, after which two teams were formed to trace him. "As per CCTV footage, he was last seen alighting from a train at Bhayander station with a young girl. We detained her and her boyfriend for questioning. The duo claimed the victim was molesting the girl, following which they decided to kill him," Naigaon police station senior inspector Vijay Kadam said, reported PTI. "The two bludgeoned Mishra with stones and tiles near a public toilet. The body was recovered from nearby bushes on February 22. While initially an accidental death case was registered at Uttan Sagri police station, a murder FIR was registered after the minor couple was held. They have been charged with murder and destruction of evidence," Kadam said, reported PTI. Two workers held for beating colleague to death on suspicion of theft Two workers were arrested for allegedly beating their colleague to death on suspicion of theft in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Monday, reported PTI. Based on a complaint by the accused persons' employer, the Bhiwandi police on Saturday registered a case against the duo under section 103(1)(murder) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, inspector Pramod Kumbhar of the Narpoli police station said, reported PTI. He said both the accused and the victim worked for a mandap decorator. The accused, Raju alias Baitullah Khan (26) and Ajay (25), suspected their colleague Anil Brijlal (36) of stealing Rs 1,200, the official said, reported PTI. He said the duo allegedly attacked Brijlal with iron rods and bamboo on the evening of March 14, and injured him. The victim was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. (With inputs from PTI)
17 March,2025 09:04 PM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondentTwo persons were arrested for allegedly beating their colleague to death on suspicion of theft in Maharashtra's Thane district, the police said on Monday, reported the PTI. Inspector Pramod Kumbhar of the Narpoli police station said that based on a complaint by the accused persons' employer, the Bhiwandi police on Saturday registered a case against the duo under section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). He said that both the accused and the victim were known to each other and worked for a mandap decorator. The accused, Raju alias Baitullah Khan (26) and Ajay (25), suspected their colleague Anil Brijlal (36) of stealing Rs 1,200, the official said, according to the PTI. The official said the duo allegedly attacked Brijlal with iron rods and bamboo on the evening of March 14, and injured him. The victim was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead, as per the PTI. Two teachers accused of beating child at school in Thane district; case registered In an another incident, the police in Thane district registered a case against two female teachers of a school for allegedly beating an 8-year-old student, an official said on Sunday, reported the PTI. The police action against the teachers from the Central Railway School in Kalyan area of Thane district came on a complaint by the boy's father, he said. The complainant is a Central Railway employee, said a police official. He alleged that his son was repeatedly targeted by the two teachers due to a dispute between him and senior CR officials. The man told the police that he had approached the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights after one of the teachers hit his son last October. The principal had then expressed regret over the incident, he said. On March 1, the second teacher allegedly slapped the minor. When confronted, she apologised but failed to explain her action, the father said, according to the PTI. Following his complaint, a coordination officer from the District Women and Child Development Department accompanied the family to the Mahatma Phule Chowk police station, where an FIR was registered on Saturday, the news agency reported. The railway officials have not yet commented on the allegations. The teachers have been booked for voluntarily causing hurt under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the official said, adding that an investigation is underway. (with PTI inputs)
17 March,2025 07:32 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police on Monday said that it has filed a chargesheet in the Torres scam case against eight accused. The officials said that the chargesheet was submitted in a special Mumbai court. According to the chargesheet, the names of the accused in the case include M/s Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd, Tania @ Tazagul Xastova, Valentina Ganesh Kumar, Sarvesh Surve, Alpesh Khara, Tausif Riyaz, Armen Atian and Lallan Singh who are charges under sections 316(5), 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 318(5), and 61 of the BNS Act, along with Sections 3, 4 of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act (MPID Act), and Sections 21 and 23 of the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act (BUDS Act). The officials said that the total amount that was allegedly cheated in the Ponzi scheme stands at Rs 142.58 crore. The scam affected a total of 14,157 investors, who were allegedly lured into investing in the fraudulent scheme, the officials said. The police officials had earlier said that the investors had reportedly been promised lucrative returns, only for the company to stop making payments earlier this month. The fraud came to light when hundreds of disgruntled investors gathered at the Torres jewellery store in the Torres Vastu Centre building in Dadar (West), demanding their promised sums. The police had allegedly disclosed that the company’s promoters enticed investors by offering extravagant rewards such as cars, flats, gift cards, and hampers to draw them into their fraudulent schemes.
17 March,2025 06:58 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA 39-year-old automobile engineer, Sachin Sambare, who was imprisoned for nearly five years on rape charges, was released on bail on March 10 after filing a petition in the Bombay High Court from jail, alleging that he was a victim of an extortion racket involving women lawyers, police officers and others. The petitioner, Sachin Sambare, claimed that certain women lawyers befriend men on a matrimonial site, dating apps and other social media platforms and eventually coerce them into entering physical relationships. Later, they demand vast amounts of money, threatening them with false rape accusations. He alleged that he fell victim to such a gang after coming in contact with a woman lawyer in 2017 and was subsequently wrongfully imprisoned for four years and nine months. After coming across multiple similar cases in newspapers, he filed an RTI to gather information about the woman lawyer who accused him. The RTI revealed that the lawyer who accused him of rape had allegedly ruined the lives of at least five other men using an identical modus operandi. He obtained details of six rape FIRs registered in various police stations. Additionally, 22 criminal cases had been filed against the complainant and her family across Maharashtra and the charges included cheating, extortion, forgery, trespassing and theft. Petitioner’s allegations Sambare, a resident of Vikramgarh, Palghar, was working as a manager for an international bus brand. In a conversation with mid-day, he alleged that the woman who accused him of rape is part of a larger extortion racket. “The modus operandi of the syndicate, which includes women lawyers, is to befriend working men, get into physical relationships with them and later fabricate financial troubles to ask for money. If the men refuse, they blackmail them with false rape accusations. Members of this gang even appear as witnesses in the FIRs,” he said. Once a complaint is lodged, a specific police officer from the station concerned summons the accused for an “inquiry,” threatening them with arrest. The officer then suggests a settlement, demanding large sums of money to make the case disappear. Sambare recounted that he met the woman in 2017 on Shaadi.com, where she introduced herself as a lawyer—though she was not one at that time, as she obtained her law degree only in 2021. Over time, their conversations deepened, and they began meeting regularly. She frequently asked him for money under various pretexts, and he provided financial help multiple times. However, in 2019, when she asked for R5 lakh and he refused, she filed a rape complaint against him at Rabale police station. The investigating officer demanded R10 lakh to “settle” the case, but when he refused, he was arrested on June 23, 2020. The officer seized his car and also froze his bank account. “The investigating officer was in close contact with the complainant’s lawyers. After my arrest, he pressured my family members, which led my mother to withdraw R2 lakh from an ATM and hand it over to him. The officer then froze my bank account,” Sambare said. “During the pandemic, when my mother fell seriously ill, my family had no money for her treatment. Since my bank account was frozen, they were unable to withdraw funds. Due to the lack of money, my mother did not receive timely medical care and tragically passed away,” he added. “After my arrest, an officer from the Rabale Police demanded R10 lakh from my family. When we refused to pay, he defamed me by spreading false news in the media, claiming that I had duped more than 30 women. However, when the charge sheet was filed, no other names appeared—only the woman who was the main complainant in my case,” he said. Behind bars While in jail, Sambare read newspapers and came across cases from Punjab and Haryana, where high courts had rejected the bail application of a woman accused of honey-trapping and filing nine fake rape cases within 14 months. Similarly, the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court took cognisance of another woman filing six cases from 2016 to 2022, all accusing men of ‘raping her on the pretext of marriage’. Last year, the Karnataka High Court dealt with multiple rape cases filed by a woman, who had accused 10 different people of rape over 10 years. The court directed the state DGP to alert all police stations about such fake cases. “I sought information from the department concerned through RTI regarding how many rape cases the lawyer had registered, against whom, and in which police stations. It was not easy, but after multiple appeals, I started receiving information. The RTI responses revealed that from 2012 to 2025, she had filed rape charges against six people, including me, in Vashi, Tilak Nagar, Palghar, Rabale, CBD Belapur, and, most recently, at Lonavala Gramin police station in February 2025. All the accused were doctors, engineers, government employees and businessmen. After gathering information, I found that some had been acquitted, some were out on bail, and in some cases, a B-summary had been filed. In the case registered at the Lonavala police station, she accused a man working in London of raping her on the pretext of marriage. I compiled details from these reports, along with high court orders, and submitted them to the Navi Mumbai commissioner and other police officials, demanding an inquiry and action against the woman. However, no officer took my complaint seriously,” he said. Legal recourse “In September 2024, I filed a writ petition in the high court, submitting judgments from Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, along with records of the six rape cases filed by the lawyer and 206 pages of supporting documents,” Sambare said. “Meanwhile, I applied for bail twice in the sessions court and twice in the high court. Each time, the accused lawyer appeared in court with her legal team, alleging that I was threatening and defaming her. As a result, my bail applications were rejected. The court never heard my petitions on merit. In January this year, I sent a reminder letter to the court requesting a hearing on my pending writ petition,” he added. Observing that genuine rape cases suffer due to false allegations, a Bombay High Court division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Dr Neela Gokhale directed the director general of police (DGP), Maharashtra, to investigate the claims made by the petitioner and submit a report to the court within eight weeks. Sambare has also sought an inquiry against a police officer allegedly involved in filing false rape cases. “This false case has destroyed my world, my career—everything. I don't know how I will rebuild my life. Strict action must be taken against women who misuse the law for their advantage so that this kind of crime can be stopped,” he said. Activist Speak Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj, documentary filmmaker and director of Ekam Nyaay Foundation, said, "Thanks to Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Neela Gokhale this man is being heard after suffering for years. Otherwise, no one in the system cares about plight of false rape case accused. I know of at least four more cases within Mumbai where one woman has filed multiple rape cases against different men, alleging false promise of marriage by all in order to either force marriage or extortion. I had personally written to the Mumbai police commissioner to form a special investigation team to look into one such case, but there was no response. It is a tragedy that and police, who are themselves custodians of law are abusing rape laws. If they are not shying away from misusing law to commit extortion, imagine what regular people would be doing. Lives are being destroyed due to false rape cases. I have worked on cases where men are victims of serial rape case filers who have filed anything from three to 19 rape cases only to extort money and police has taken no action. It is time to stop this menace. I hope the chief minister takes cognisance of this case and orders an inquiry into all such cases across Maharashtra. 'Allegations are baseless' Meanwhile, Tukaram Nimbalkar, the police officer who arrested Sambare, stated, "All the allegations against me are false and baseless. The Human Rights Commission has also conducted an inquiry into the matter. The ACP of Vashi division had carried out an investigation, but the report did not support the claims made by the complainant [Sambare]. Now that the court has ordered an inquiry, the truth will finally come to light. Asked why Sambare's bank account was frozen, he said, "The accused was absconding, which necessitated this action."
17 March,2025 03:27 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanADVERTISEMENT
