Maharashtra: Man held with banned tobacco products of Rs 5 lakh in Palghar

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Police have arrested a 30-year-old man after seizing banned tobacco products valued at Rs 5.06 lakh from him on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in Maharashtra's Palghar district, an official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

During a nakabandi (security blockade) in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the police on Saturday evening spotted a car proceeding from Umbargaon towards Mumbai on the highway and stopped it on the basis of suspicion, reported PTI.

During checking, the police found tobacco products of different brands kept in gunny bags in the vehicle and seized them, a police spokesperson said.

The car occupant, resident of Dahanu in Palghar, was arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Food and Drug Administration regulations, the police added, reported PTI.

The sale and consumption of gutka, scented and flavoured tobacco has been banned in Maharashtra since 2012.

In another case, the police in Maharashtra's Thane city have registered a case against four persons for allegedly cheating a government contractor of more than Rs 10.8 crore by fabricating documents for a business deal, an official said on Monday, reported PTI.

A first information report has been registered under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code against a couple who were directors of two companies and two others, an official from Shrinagar police station said.

The complainant has alleged that the accused couple wished to sell their electrical goods manufacturing units in Andheri MIDC and Palghar and showed all relevant documents to him. He also visited the manufacturing units, he said, reported PTI.

The complainant paid Rs 5.82 crore to purchase the two plants, and he examined the document a few days later and found that they were fake, the official said.

The accused allegedly did not present the original documents and refused to transfer the shares to the complainant's name, the official said, adding that the accused couple also allegedly shut their office in Thane, reported PTI.

The complainant was duped of Rs 10.8 crore, which included the amount he paid to buy the factories and earnings from his investments in the units, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)