Unidentified persons broke into the ATM of a nationalised bank and ran off with over Rs 25 lakh in cash in Maharashtra's Palghar district on Sunday, police said, PTI reported. The theft took place around 3:30 am in the Boisar area, an official said. According to senior inspector Sirish Pawar of the Boisar police station, thieves broke into the ATM and fled with over Rs 25 lakh, PTI cited. The authorities have yet to determine the number of people involved in the incident, as just one person is visible in the CCTV tape. The accused also sprayed something on the camera equipment prior to the break-in, he said. The official said a case has been filed under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhit, and further probe is underway. PTI reported. Mumbai cyber crime cell busts 'Task Fraud' gang, 6 held The Cyber Crime Cell of the Mumbai Police has busted a gang of fraudsters and arrested six people for allegedly operating a 'Task Fraud', an official said. The police seized Rs 7 lakh, 11 mobile phones, 47 different bank cards, 104 ATM cards, passbooks and a bank manager's stamp from the gang, he said. According to the police, the arrested individuals were identified as Pramod Kumar Behra, Rakesh Kumar Chaudhary, Suvendru Das, Jaideep Parda, and Manoj Kumar Raut. The complainant, a senior citizen, had previously worked in the Gulf and after retirement he had moved to Mumbai. He had social media accounts. "In September last year, he received a message from an unknown person who introduced herself as Nisha, who purportedly worked for a marketing company. She told him he could earn Rs 70 for following an Instagram account. Initially, he refused, but the fraudster convinced him to reconsider himself once he received the money. She told him that her company helps young artists and bloggers gain fame and sent him a link to follow an Instagram account. The fraudster obtained his personal and bank account information and provided him with a code, he then asked him to contact further on a Telegram account," an official explained. Initially, to lure the complainant, he was given a fake task and he even received the payment, this led him to trust the fraudsters, the police said. (With PTI inputs)
12 January,2025 07:45 PM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Police on Sunday said that it has busted a gang allegedly printing and selling fake Indian currency notes and nabbed four people in connection with the matter. According to the officials, the officials of Byculla Police in central Mumbai had initially received a tip-off regarding three people visiting Byculla area for selling counterfeit Rs 500 currency notes and accordingly a special team was formed under the guidance of Chimaji Adhav, the senior police inspector of Byculla Police station. The team of officials laid a trap and detained three people from a spot in Byculla area and their searches led to the recovery of fake hundreds of Rs 500 currency notes, an official said. "As many as 200 fake Rs 500 notes were found in their possession which turned out to be fake, the trio were detained from the spot and later taken to Byculla Police Station for further interrogations," the official said. The fake notes were seized, and an FIR was filed by the police under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), the police said. It said that during interrogation, the suspects were identified as Umran Balbale, 48, Yasin Shaikh, 42, Bheem Badela, 45, said an official. Their interrogations led to a name of another suspect who was identified as Niraj Vekhande, 25 from Wada in Palghar district of Maharashtra, he said. "Acting on the information, a police team was dispatched to Wada in Palghar which camped there for about two days to trace and nab the suspect and after detailed investigations using technical support, they located Niraj Vekhande who was later placed under arrest," an official said. The police said that upon searching Vekhande’s premises, along with the help of witnesses, the police found all the equipment required to produce counterfeit Rs 500 notes. The seized items included laptops, printers, lamination machines, and other materials suspected to be used in printing counterfeit currency production. "The action was carried out under the guidance of senior police officers of Mumbai Police and the entire detection operation was led by Police Inspector Jitesh Shingote and other officers of Byculla Police Station," the official said.
12 January,2025 07:23 PM IST | Mumbai | Asif RizviAn official on Sunday said that the police have arrested two persons for illegal possession and sale of codeine phosphate in Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI. Cough syrups with codeine phosphate have an intoxicating effect on nerves and they are widely abused due to easy availability at pharmacies. The government has banned codeine-based syrups. The police on Saturday apprehended the two persons in Kachore village in Kalyan area and seized 192 bottles of codeine phosphate from their possession, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kalyan, Atul Zende said, reported PTI. They were carrying the substance illegally with the intent to sell it, the official said. A case has been registered against the duo under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he said, reported PTI. Authorities have initiated an investigation to trace the supply chain and identify other potential links in the illegal drug trade, police said. One held with mephedrone worth Rs 1 lakh in Thane district A 26-year-old man was arrested for alleged possession of mephedrone worth Rs 1 lakh in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Saturday, reported PTI. The police's patrolling team intercepted the accused on the MIDC road in Dombivili town late on Friday night and recovered 34 gm of mephedrone from him, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Atul Zende of Zone III, Kalyan, reported PTI. The contraband was valued at Rs 1.08 lakh, he said. The official said a case has been registered against the accused, Vinay Iyer, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, reported PTI. Zende said earlier this week, the police seized 1,123 gm of ganja worth Rs 25,500 and 40 bottles of cough syrup worth Rs 9,000 in separate raids, reported PTI. He said the anti-drug drive will continue, and special teams were formed to monitor and prevent drug-related activities in the region. (With inputs from PTI)
12 January,2025 12:16 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA 25-year-old student, Krishna Mahadevarao Dalvi, who had arrived to appear for the Police Constable Driver recruitment exam 2025 at Raigad Military School in Jogeshwari, was caught red-handed by Oshiwara police while attempting to cheat. Krishna Dalvi, a native of Jalna, was found in possession of a chip and a Bluetooth device, which were confiscated by the police. During the exam, he was reportedly in contact with a friend, receiving assistance, which was uncovered during the investigation. Krishna Dalvi is now facing criminal charges and has been arrested. He is scheduled to appear in the local court in Bandra on Sunday afternoon, before he could become a police constable. The Mumbai Police Department is currently conducting recruitment for the position of Police Constable Driver. On Saturday, written exams were held for candidates in Mumbai. The exam centre at Raigad Military School in Jogeshwari, New Link Road, was designated for some candidates, with 440 candidates arriving to participate in the examination. Of these, 437 were from Jalna district. All candidates were thoroughly checked before being allowed entry into the exam center. After some time, a candidate's suspicious behaviour was noticed, prompting the center chief and Police Inspector Vijay Mandye to detain him for questioning. The police discovered a chip and a Bluetooth device on him, revealing that he was attempting to cheat. After being brought to the police station, Krishna admitted to receiving help from his friend during the exam. He had hidden a digital chip in his undergarment and used a Bluetooth device in his ear, ensuring it remained hidden. The police filed a case against him, and he was arrested.
12 January,2025 11:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaAn official said that the Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar police on Saturday arrested three persons for their alleged association with the jewellery company that owns the Torres brand, reported news agency PTI. The jewellery company is accused of cheating investors of crores of rupees through a combination of Ponzi and multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes. The official from the Navghar police station said that offences have been registered against the management and staff of the company in connection with the Torres scam, reported PTI. The Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing has carried out raids in Colaba, Dadar and Dombivali and confiscated important documents, investment papers as well as cash as part of its probe into the alleged Torres scam, reported PTI. Earlier, a Mumbai police official had said that the magnitude of the scam had reached Rs 18.5 crore and was expected to rise further. Police arrest director and two foreign nationals The Shivaji Park police have arrested three people—the director of a jewellery brand, an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and a citizen of Uzbekistan—for allegedly duping investors of Rs 13.48 crore through a Ponzi scheme. The accused lured victims with promises of high weekly returns, exclusive offers, and rewards for referrals via a flashy app. An look-out circular (LOC) has been issued against two absconding accused who are suspected to have fled the country. The arrested individuals include Sarvesh Surve, the company director, Valentina Kumari (an OCI national), and Tania Kasatova, an Uzbekistan citizen. Police suspect the fraud’s scale could exceed Rs 700 crore, with statements from victims still being recorded. The scheme targeted investors through a jewellery brand named Torres, which operated six stores in Mumbai, including branches in Dadar, Girgaon, Sanpada, Mira Road, and Kandivli. Investors were lured via the company’s app, “Torres Club,” which displayed investment statuses and promised weekly returns. The Shivaji Park police revealed that Sarvesh Surve’s identification documents were used to make him the company director and beneficiary. The other two arrested women were employees. An LOC has been issued against two absconding accused. Interestingly, the Torres app now displays a notice claiming its employees looted their shops. The notice urges investors to register complaints against an individual named Abhishek, allegedly involved in a robbery at one of their branches. Torres has promised to return the investors’ money, but the claims remain unverified. Five individuals have been booked under relevant sections of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act, 1999. (With inputs from PTI)
12 January,2025 08:44 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe seven accused in the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog in Beed district, have been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Deshmukh was killed on December 9, 2024, when he attempted to foil an extortion bid by the accused. A Crime Investigation Department team has been probing the murder. The accused are Surdarshan Ghule, Pratik Ghule, Sudhir Sangale, Krishna Andhale, Vishnu Chate, Siddharth Sonawane, and Jairam Chate. Of these, Krishna Andhale is still at large. However, Valmik Karad, who has been booked and arrested in the extortion case and is linked with a senior minister from Beed, has not been charged under MCOCA yet. Police are investigating the link between the extortion and the murder, and sources said more accused were to be brought under the MCOCA. This gives police special powers and provides for additional criminal penalties including the death penalty, and the bail conditions are also stricter. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had made an announcement in the state legislature that the accused would be tried under MCOCA. Police sources say the accused in the Beed murder would be fit for trial under the stringent Act if there is record of them having links with organised crime.
12 January,2025 07:24 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentTwo unidentified men stole 50 tolas of gold jewellery, worth about Rs 40 lakh, at gunpoint from a shop in Vasai on Friday night. The shop owner was injured in the heist. The owner of Mayank Jewellers located in Kaul Heritage City’s Agarwal & Dosti Complex in Vasai, Ratanlal Sanghvi, was packing up preparing to close the shop at around 9.15pm when two men arrived on a motorcycle. CCTV footage of the store owner being threatened with a gun One wore a helmet and the other a mask. They brandished a gun and looted 15 to 20 jewellery boxes from the store’s safe. When Sanghvi tried to resist, they struck him on the head with the butt of the gun, leaving him injured. No security guard was employed at the store, and the owner had not taken the safety precaution of closing the shutters while packing up. The burglar assaulting the store owner with the butt of the gun An FIR has been registered at Manikpur police station under relevant sections of BNS and Arms Act against the unidentified accused. A total six teams of MBVV police have been deployed to trace the accused. The crime branch is also conducting a parallel investigation into the sensitive case that has left everyone shocked in the area. The burglars flee the jewellery store with their loot The injured Sanghvi has been admitted to Cardinal Gracias Hospital in Vasai and his condition is reported to be stable. On the day of the incident, his son Manish, who manages the shop with him, was away on work. Sanghvi’s other son Abhilesh Sanghvi said, “We are cooperating with the police and hoping for a quick resolution.” DCP Pournima Chougule-Shringi said, “The jeweller had not hired a security guard, and didn’t follow safety measures while closing the shop. He should have locked the main door from inside while packing the jewellery. We are taking help of CCTV footage to trace the accused.”
12 January,2025 07:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaThe Mumbai Crime Branch has detained the primary accused in the December 3 Sanpada firing case. According to the police, the main accused, Santosh Gawli, a former garbage contractor, allegedly orchestrated the plan to kill his successor, Rajaram Thoke, with the help of a sharpshooter. Following an extensive manhunt conducted by the Crime Branch and Navi Mumbai Police officers, Gawli was apprehended in Pune. While the sharpshooter is yet to be traced, the police have established his identity as Imran Qureshi, a notorious criminal and former member of the DK Rao gang, once led by a former aide of gangster Chhota Rajan. Qureshi, a resident of Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai, has been implicated in cases of attempted murder, murder, extortion, gang wars, and rioting across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, and other parts of Maharashtra. The police describe him as having "exceptional shooting skills" and a history of significant criminal activity. In 2019, Qureshi and his accomplice, Amjad Khan, were arrested by Mumbai Police for allegedly shooting and stabbing a man. Extensive searches are underway across the city and state to apprehend him. As reported earlier by mid-day, Gawli was tracked by special police teams despite his technical acumen, which helped him evade capture. “He knew the tricks to remain untraceable, such as using different SIM cards and relying on WhatsApp calls instead of regular calls. Most of the time, he would place a call but disconnect after one ring — a method of communication to signal for money arrangements. He frequently switched SIM cards and turned off his phone after such missed-call cues, which significantly delayed our tracking efforts,” explained a police officer involved in the investigation. The officer added, “We knew he was near the Maharashtra border and had identified his tower location but not his precise spot. He kept moving using various modes of transportation. Initially, he was in Karnataka's Hubli, before travelling to Pune, which we deduced through technical investigations and information from local informants.”On Saturday, the police teams brought Gawli to Mumbai. The Crime Branch will soon interrogate him and he is expected to be produced in court and handed over to the Sanpada Police for further questioning.
11 January,2025 11:26 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerA man was arrested for allegedly operating an illegal call centre and selling controlled medications to US citizens without authorisation, a Thane police officer said on Saturday. Akash Ravendrasingh Yadav, 31, was arrested on Friday after a raid by the Crime Unit of the Wagle Estate police, he added. "Posing as a representative of a legitimate pharmaceutical company, Yadav was selling controlled medications such as Soma, Tramadol, Viagra, Cialis, Tramadol, and Oxycodone. He was using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology connected to desktop computers to contact American citizens," the Kapurbawdi Police Station officer said. "The illegal sale of controlled medications without proper authorization is a violation of both national and international regulations. We have seized several gadgets and accessories from the call centre. He was charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology and Indian Telegraphic Act for cheating, impersonation and other offences," the officer said. 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.
11 January,2025 10:58 PM IST | Thane | PTIA 38-year-old businessman has registered a complaint against an unknown person for allegedly stealing gold jewellery worth Rs 7.2 lakh from his bag at Mumbai Airport. The complainant works as the Executive Director of a Dubai-based company. According to the first information report (FIR) filed by the police, the businessman alleged that nine pieces of jewellery, worth approximately Rs 7.2 lakh, were stolen from his bag in a highly secured area of the airport. The Sahar Police have launched an investigation into the matter. On December 21, the complainant travelled to Vadodara from Dubai to attend his toddler's mundan ceremony. He then landed at Mumbai Airport with his family on December 30 at 10:20 pm. The family had five large bags and hand luggage each, including three trolley bags. Five bags were checked in, while the rest were carried as cabin luggage. One of the cabin bags contained 15 pieces of jewellery. On December 31, the businessman and his family reached Dubai at 2 am. The next day, while transferring the jewellery from the bag to a safe, he noticed that nine items — including rings, bracelets, earrings, chains, necklaces, and pendants — were missing. Despite a thorough search at home, the jewellery could not be located. On January 3, the complainant travelled back to Vadodara to investigate further. He filed a written complaint at the police station near Vadodara Airport. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials deployed at the airport showed him images from the screening machine, confirming that the jewellery was present in the hand baggage during the security check. However, when similar screening images from Mumbai Airport were reviewed, the missing items were not visible. This led the complainant to conclude that the theft occurred after his arrival at Mumbai Airport. The Sahar Police are probing the security lapses at Mumbai Airport, and the concerned authorities are working to trace the missing items.
11 January,2025 10:25 PM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaTwo pedestrians sustained minor injuries when an unattended BEST bus, with its engine running, began to move forward, suddenly gained momentum, and crashed into a tea stall near Kannamwar Nagar bus depot in Vikhroli East in Mumbai on Saturday. Sources said that the BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) bus driver had gone to the washroom without applying the parking brake. The police said the BEST bus started to roll down as it was parked on an inclined road. A team from Vikhroli Police Station arrived at the accident site to take stock of the situation. However, the injured people did not submit a complaint, the police said. A local source said, “We learnt that the driver had gone to washroom leaving behind the bus’ engine running. He had not applied the parking brake, so the bus started to move forward and crashed into a tea stall.” The senior inspector of Vikhroli police station, Suryakant Naikwadi, said, “There was no passenger in the bus. Two pedestrians, who got minor bruises, did not submit a complaint. A tea stall got partially damaged and the BEST officials have assured us to get it repaired. The glasses of the BEST bus also got smashed in the accident. No case has been registered in this accident.” This area of Vikhroli typically sees large crowds of passengers and office-goers trying to catch buses and rickshaws. Additionally, there is a college in the vicinity of this accident site. But since it was a holiday, a major tragedy was averted. This accident is a stark reminder of the importance of proper vehicle safety checks before leaving a vehicle’s engine running. Last month, nine people were crushed under the speeding wheels of an uncontrolled BEST bus near Kurla railway station, sparking a massive outcry.
11 January,2025 08:45 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaADVERTISEMENT
