The Amboli police arrested three cooks from Hyderabad for plotting a robbery at the home of a 74-year-old woman on Tuesday afternoon. The main accused, Ajit Mukhiya, brutally attacked two elderly women on his very first day of work and then fled the scene. The police also found the other two accused standing outside the house during the incident. The victims are Shobha Rekhari and Bina Bhatt, who reside at Hill View Society in Andheri West. Both women were injured and admitted to the hospital. The Amboli police are investigating the exact motive behind the robbery and determining how much valuable property was stolen from the house. According to police officials, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon around 3.30 pm at Hill View Apartment. Mukhiya had been newly hired as a cook that day, and it was his first day on the job. He served food to the homeowners around 3 pm, and they later went to rest. A police officer said, “CCTV footage revealed two more accused, Vishnu Mukhiya and Saroj Mukhiya, were involved in this case. Both had previously worked as cooks at this house but had left the job. They had planned the robbery, and during the incident, they were on a conference call with each other.” The officer added, “On Tuesday at around 3.30 pm, Shobha heard Bina screaming and rushed toward her. She found the servant, Ajit Mukhiya, attacking Bina with an iron pestle. When Shobha tried to intervene, the accused also injured her. The attacker immediately fled the premises, leaving both women injured. They called the police right away, and both women were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.” During the investigation, police discovered that Ajit Mukhiya had planned the robbery with the other two, who had previously worked at the house and left. The police suspect that the trio intended to rob the entire house after injuring the two elderly women. After the incident, Ajit Mukhiya escaped to Hyderabad with two of his friends. The police traced the other two accused through CCTV footage and call records linked to Mukhiya and apprehended them. The police are also suspecting the involvement of additional people in the crime.
10 January,2025 08:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaAs many as eight teenage girls escaped from a government-run observation home in Ulhasnagar area of Thane district in Maharashtra on Wednesday midnight by breaking the iron bars of the window railings, the officials said. The facility, managed by the Women and Child Welfare Department, is now under scrutiny following the incident. According to the Hill Line Police, the girls, aged 15 to 17, broke the window bars and fled by jumping out of the dormitory. The night patrol staff discovered broken nets and damaged railings, raising an alarm during the roll call, which revealed that eight girls were missing. The staff immediately informed their superiors, who alerted the police. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sachin Gore, Zone 4 (Ambarnath Division), formed special search teams to trace the girls and investigate the incident. The teams conducting combing operations in the nearby areas, including bus stops, toll nakas, and railway stations, while nakabandi checkpoints were set up. Seven of the eight girls were found at Ulhasnagar railway station, attempting to board local trains but were unable to do so as all services had ceased for the night. The eighth girl, a 17-year-old, remains absconding, and a dedicated search operation is ongoing. Preliminary questioning of the rescued girls revealed their dissatisfaction with conditions at the observation home, which reportedly led to their escape. Meanwhile, police are interrogating the facility's administration and security staff, holding their negligence accountable for the lapse that enabled the escape. A FIR has been registered at the Hill Line police under the section of kidnapping since the 8th missing girl is a minor.
09 January,2025 08:21 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerTausif Reyaz, a wanted accused in the Rs 1,000-crore alleged Torres scam and former CEO of the company, claims to be a whistleblower. He asserts he alerted the agencies concerned on January 4, submitting detailed documents and evidence exposing the ongoing fraud as soon as he discovered it. Following the arrest of three individuals by the Shivaji Park police, an 182-page whistleblower report surfaced, alleging that the fraud was orchestrated by the same people behind the 2019 Ukraine and Russia B2B jewellery scam. The case has now been transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police for further investigation. Valentina Ganesh Kumari and Taniya Xasatova alias Tazagul Khasatova were arrested by the police on Tuesday. Pics/Ashish Raje The EOW has reportedly taken note of the documents Reyaz claims to have shared with multiple agencies. The police are estimating the scam to be worth R1,000 crore based on the number of investors. Threat to life Reyaz, in documents shared with agencies, claimed his life is under threat due to his efforts to expose the case. In a letter sent to the authorities, he alleged that Torres operates a Ponzi scheme under the guise of a jewellery business, involving financial irregularities such as tax evasion, excessive cash expenditures, and potential money laundering in Torres scam. He stated that the scheme mirrors the fraudulent practices of B2B Jewellery (Ukraine) and Cancri Jewellery (Turkey), run by the same individuals. Reyaz has urged immediate intervention by tax, financial, and law enforcement authorities to protect customers and prevent further economic harm. Sarvesh Surve the company director arrested by the cops According to Reyaz’s purported letter, currently under examination by agencies and shared with mid-day by his legal team (who have chosen to remain anonymous), he detailed the scam’s operations. Reyaz also provided a letter written by Sarvesh Surve, a director of the company and one of the accused arrested by the Shivaji Park police. Reyaz claimed that Surve also flagged the fraud to relevant agencies and sent a letter to the prime minister, highlighting the scheme. Reyaz’s letter alleges: “Torres, operating under Platinum Hern Private Limited, exhibits all the characteristics of a Ponzi and pyramid scheme disguised as a jewellery business. With unsustainable cashback rates, inflated product prices, and referral commissions, the business is financially untenable.” Foreigners used fake IDs Reyaz further claimed that foreign nationals associated with Torres acquired Indian mobile numbers using fake IDs. These SIM cards were reportedly procured through brokers for Rs 12,500 each and sourced from the Nepal border to evade detection. The letter to the PMO by Surve, which Reyaz attached to his own submissions, stated that the company was incorporated in India on April 7, 2023. Surve, a director since the company’s inception, claimed that a Ukrainian national, Olena Stoian, was also appointed as a director. Surve wrote, “I was informed that the company would operate in the retail jewellery business in India and was assured opportunities to secure a foreign visa and employment. Based on these representations, I became a director and shareholder.” In the letter dated January 2, Surve explained that the company launched its first jewellery showroom in Mumbai’s Dadar area under the brand name “Torres.” However, he claimed that despite holding the position of director, he was never involved in showroom operations. Public money used According to Surve’s complaint, the company began accepting money from the public by promising high bonuses, cashback, and returns ranging from 200 per cent to 600 per cent. Customers were given low-quality moissanite stones instead of genuine jewellery. He also alleged that the company engaged in fake loan transactions totalling R13.76 crore. These transactions were reportedly facilitated by Lallan Singh, who accepted cash brought into India via USDT (Tether). Surve further stated that on December 27, he was summoned to the company’s Lower Parel office. “During this visit, I met Ms Tazagul Khasatova and another foreign national, Mr Danish, who pressured me to sign several documents, including management certificates and loan agreements with backdated entries on old stamp papers,” he wrote. “When I refused to sign the agreements, I was shouted at, threatened with dire consequences, and told I would be killed by being hit by a car. Ms Tazagul Khasatova was present and involved in these threats.” The complaint also alleges that the company illegally imported over 75 kg of silver and 25 kg of gold from Turkey to India. Surve claimed that the gold was delivered to a juice shop in Kalbadevi and that he possesses photographs of the smuggled gold as evidence. The accused whistleblower alleged that the Torres scam operated similarly to fraudulent schemes in Ukraine and Turkey. The complaint letter included media reports on the B2B Jewellery scam in these countries, drawing parallels to Torres’ operations. Discrepancies highlighted The whistleblower alleged that Torres had established six jewellery showrooms in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and claimed to have 60,000 customers. The estimated investment for setting up these showrooms was at least R40 crore. However, the company reportedly spent over R25 crore in cash, raising questions about the source of these funds. Platinum Hern Private Limited, under which Torres operates, has a paid-up capital of only R1 lakh, with no evidence of external investments or foreign funding. The prices of products were heavily inflated. Moissanite stones, which have a market price of R300, were sold for R9,000, representing a mark-up of 3,000 times. Gold rings, typically valued at Rs 39,000, were sold for Rs 4,50,000. Customers received low-quality moissanite stones and jewellery at these inflated prices, justifying artificially high cashback payouts. The letter also stated that Torres Jewellery conducted daily conferences at its showrooms, attended by at least 300 individuals. During these sessions, speakers explained how participants could purportedly earn money through the company by following specific processes. B2B jewellery scam The whistleblower’s letter compared Torres’s operations to those of B2B Jewellery, a company that defrauded over 600,000 investors of approximately $250 million across Ukraine, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Established in 2019, B2B Jewellery presented itself as a retailer but operated a massive Ponzi scheme through its network of retail stores and online platforms. Arrests and investigation The Shivaji Park police have arrested three individuals, including two foreign nationals, identified as Valentina Ganesh Kumari, 44, a Russian origin OCI national, and Taniya Xasatova alias Tazagul Khasatova an Uzbekistan national who was working as general manager. The case has since been transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). A senior EOW officer stated, "We have received the files, and further investigations are underway. We are also examining the details shared by the whistleblower in the case." One Victoria Kovalenko, a Ukrainian national, has also been named in the FIR and is suspected to have fled the country. She is believed to be a key member of the fraud. The whistleblower has additionally named Olena Stoian, also a Ukrainian national, claiming she is the mastermind behind the fraud. Stoian was allegedly involved in the Ukraine B2B jewellery scam as well.
09 January,2025 06:13 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanTorres’ lavish gifts, high returns, and customer-friendly approach lured thousands into investing in a Ponzi scheme. mid-day investigates how the so-called jewellery brand ensnared unsuspecting customers of the Torres scam. From offering huge returns to gifting iPhones, scooters, cars, and even promising 2BHK flats, the company went all out to win customers’ trust—only to later dupe them. Janardhan Gawandi, investor The jewellery brand Torres opened its branch in Dadar on February 3, 2024, with a grand inauguration at a prime city location. This drew a large crowd, many of whom became loyal customers. Initially projecting itself as a luxury gold, silver, diamond, and moissanite jewellery brand, the company shifted its narrative in June 2024, marketing itself as an investment-based luxury jewellery business. The company conducting a lucky draw for the customers “A seminar was conducted in June last year where they claimed we could enter the top management of Torres and live comfortably by getting shares,” said investor Janardhan Gawandi. The company also organised lucky draws at its main branch, offering luxurious prizes such as iPhones, two-wheelers, cars, jewellery, and a promised 2BHK flat for its one-year anniversary. Social media posts of iPhones which would be given away to lucky customers Lure of better returns mid-day uncovered how Torres enticed customers. Upon approaching the company, customers were persuaded to buy moissanite stones as a better investment. “If we wanted silver jewellery, they told us to invest in the stone for higher returns. They introduced us to their app, Torres Club, where investment updates and statuses were visible,” Gawandi shared. The company also encouraged customers to recruit others by offering an “internship” and promising higher profits based on the number of referrals. Diamond Agent: Recruit 300 clients for a foreign trip and a European residency permit The 5-stage pyramid According to the company, investors had to complete five stages to earn “huge profits”:1. Internship: One month to understand the app and recruit clients.2. Agent: Recruit 50 clients for monthly earnings of R25,000 or more.3. Junior Agent: Recruit 100 clients to qualify for employment in the company.4. Senior Agent: Recruit 200 clients and three agents to gain a higher profit rate.5. Diamond Agent: Recruit 300 clients for a foreign trip and a European residency permit. Senior Agent: Recruit 200 clients and three agents to gain a higher profit rate “They motivated us with promises of better profits. During seminars, they celebrated new client acquisitions, handed out cheques, and organised lucky draws with expensive prizes,” said Gawandi. Grand openings shattered trust To gain customer trust, Torres opened branches in Dadar, Grant Road, Kandivli, Mira Road, Sanpada, and Kalyan, with the most recent Kalyan branch inaugurated on December 29. Junior Agent: Recruit 100 clients to qualify for employment in the company Sessions conducted by the company assured customers of a comfortable life if they invested in the Torres Club app. The app remains functional, with investment statuses and the upcoming lucky draw for a 2BHK flat still displayed. Agent: Recruit 50 clients for monthly earnings of '25,000 or more However, the facade has crumbled. The company has urged customers to register complaints against CEO Tausif Reyaz and chief analyst Abhishek Gupta. A cash prize of Rs 2 lakh has been announced for anyone who helps the police apprehend them.
09 January,2025 06:08 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheA hawker who attempted to intervene in a scuffle between a man and some women passengers on a Mumbai suburban train was stabbed and is currently in hospital, according to a police official. The incident, which took place on Wednesday afternoon near Bandra station on the Western Railway network, escalated when Sachin Dharolia, a 24-year-old hawker, attempted to stop a verbal altercation between the man and several women. Dharolia, who was selling chocolates in the women’s compartment of the train with his brother-in-law, Jitesh Ambalia, found himself in the middle of the dispute when the situation took a violent turn. As the argument continued, Dharolia tried to mediate the situation, but things quickly escalated. The man, identified as Pradeep Kshatriya, aged 49 and a resident of Virar, allegedly stabbed Dharolia in the stomach with a knife. In addition, Kshatriya struck Dharolia on the head with a stick. At this point, passengers in the compartment intervened, overpowering Kshatriya and giving him a severe thrashing. The commotion prompted the other passengers to alert the police. A team from the Bandra railway police arrived at the scene and swiftly moved Dharolia to a nearby hospital. The police also took Kshatriya into custody, as he had been severely beaten by the passengers. Both Dharolia and Kshatriya were admitted to hospital, with Dharolia being placed in the ICU due to the severity of his injuries. Police identified the accused, Kshatriya, who will face charges including attempt to murder and other related offences under the Indian Penal Code (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita). He is currently hospitalised for treatment and will be arrested once he is discharged. The altercation unfolded quickly and resulted in a violent confrontation. The police have assured that a thorough investigation will follow, and Kshatriya will be held accountable for his actions as soon as he is medically fit for arrest.
09 January,2025 04:37 PM IST | MumbaiA 54-year-old Vaastu professional from Santacruz lost Rs 67.25 lakh in an investment scam run by a fraudulent trading firm, Lord Abbett. The company falsely claimed to invest in Indian and US stock markets. The victim was shown a fake profit of R1.43 crore on a trading app, but their account was blocked when they tried to withdraw funds, exposing the scam. With help from Lex Ethics Associates, it was discovered that the scammers operated under multiple names. A complaint was filed on January 3, and an FIR was registered at Cyber West police station. Authorities are investigating to apprehend the accused. Fake promises Meena Gupta, one of the accused, lured the victim by promising to multiply his existing investments. She persuaded him to invest in Indian stocks through his Zerodha account, claiming to offer lucrative schemes. Convinced by her assurances, the victim communicated with her multiple times and followed her investment advice. The accused in different avatars Vijay Sharma and Karan Mehra, posing as chief analysts, further convinced the victim through phone calls and video counselling sessions. They added him to a WhatsApp group, where he was encouraged to invest over Rs 67 lakh by April 24, 2024. Speaking to mid-day, the complainant said, “Between April 16 and May 24, 2024, I transferred R67,25,000, including the principal and service fees, to bank accounts provided by the accused. I was asked to upload transaction screenshots to their app, LHA, for verification and account updates.” As per the accused's investment schemes, the victim was directed to trade in U.S. and Indian stocks, as well as IPOs, through the LHA app. He was instructed to hold these trades until further guidance, which never came, exposing the fraud. “I made multiple trades on their portal as advised by the accused. After each live session, the trades always showed profits ranging from 10 per cent to 300 per cent (short-term, long-term, and intraday). On May 27, 2024, my account balance on the portal was Rs 1,43,78,372, including the principal amount and profits,” said the complainant. “When I tried to withdraw funds, the portal showed the withdrawal as initiated, but the amount never reached my linked bank account. I complained to the accused, but my demat account was frozen. They removed me from all LHA WhatsApp groups and blocked me permanently. When I tried to call them, they didn’t answer and blocked me on all platforms. Left with no option, I sought legal help, and my advocate began an investigation with detective Salim Charania,” the complainant added. Investigator speaks Charania told mid-day, “These scammers attract victims by asking them to deposit funds into private accounts. They show virtual profits in their trading accounts, sometimes in lakhs or crores. When victims try to withdraw funds, they demand a high service fee and then block them. We have identified their new identities, phone numbers and bank accounts. They changed their appearance and created fake websites.” “The accused, originally linked to the Lord Abbett app, rebranded as HCG Brokers. They altered their names: Meena Gupta became Urvi Sakar, Karan Mehra became Ayushman Das, and Vijay Sharma became Sharanjit Singh. A case has been filed with the cybercrime police station at Bandra Kurla Complex after evidence was gathered by Lex Ethics Associates, led by advocates Sachin Bhaskar and Pankaj Kandhari," Charania said.
09 January,2025 02:47 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA village circle officer has been taken into custody for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a person for updating his property records in Maharashtra's Raigad district, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said on Thursday, PTI reported. The person had approached the accused in relation to land at Dahigaon in Raigad’s Karjat area. The 40-year-old circle officer of Kadav village in Karjat taluka reportedly asked for Rs 1 lakh from him for carrying out the change in his land records, the ACB said in a release, PTI cited. The person filed a complaint with the Raigad ACB unit which laid a trap in the village on Wednesday and caught the accused while accepting the bribe amount, it said. The police later arrested the accused and registered a case against him under relevant legal provisions, the ACB said, PTI reported. Thane: Two officials from registrar's office held for taking a bribe of Rs 60,000 Two officials of a cooperative registrar's office have been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 60,000 to grant approval for a cooperative housing society in Thane district of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday, PTI reported. As per the complaint, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) laid a trap and arrested assistant registrar Chetan Chowdhary (32) and Junior clerk Vijay Singh Patil (44) under the Prevention of Corruption Act, said Superintendent of Police, Thane ACB Madhavi Rajekumbhar. She said that Patil had demanded Rs 70,000 for himself and his seniors to approve the formation of a cooperative housing society but later brought down the sum by 10,000 after negotiations, PTI reported. A case has been registered against the two accused and a probe is underway, the official said. Sessions judge booked in bribery case moves Bombay High Court for pre-arrest bail A sessions court judge in Maharashtra has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking pre-arrest bail in a bribery case registered against him, reported news agency PTI. The state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has booked Satara district and sessions judge Dhananjay Nikam for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to grant bail in a cheating case. A single bench of Bombay High Court Justice N R Borkar on Wednesday said it would hear the plea in his chamber on January 15 as it involves a judicial officer, reported PTI. Nikam, who filed the plea through advocate Viresh Purwant, said he was innocent and implicated in the case. The petition said the FIR didn't show any direct demand or acceptance of money by Nikam. It further argued that the judge was neither aware of meetings between the complainant and other accused nor that the complainant was related to the accused seeking bail, reported PTI. Nikam was on leave or deputation on key dates, raising doubts about the allegations, the petition added. As per the complaint lodged by a woman, her father, who is a civilian defence employee, is in judicial custody for allegedly cheating someone under the pretext of offering a government job, reported PTI. After a lower court denied him bail, the woman filed a fresh bail application in the Satara sessions court, which was supposed to be heard by Nikam. (With PTI inputs)
09 January,2025 01:44 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe police said that a 32-year-old man allegedly killed his younger brother after an argument over Rs 500 in Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI. The incident took place on Tuesday night in Kalyan area, they said, adding the accused has been arrested. The accused, Salim Shamim Khan, who was inebriated, got enraged when his brother Naseem Khan (27) confronted him for taking Rs 500 from his pocket without permission, an official from Bazarpeth police station said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI. The argument escalated and the accused allegedly stabbed his younger brother to death with a knife, he said while sharing an update on the Thane crime. Their mother later alerted the authorities about the incident. Based on her statement, the accused was arrested on Wednesday and booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 103(1) (murder). The body was sent to a government hospital for post-mortem and a probe was on into the case, the police added. Two held from UP for firing, robbery at jewellery shop in Thane district Two persons have been arrested from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly opening fire in a jewellery shop in Maharashtra's Thane district last month and killing a salesman, police said on Tuesday. The Uttar Pradesh police's special task force traced the accused to Koshimbi and apprehended them on Sunday, an official said. The accused, Sashank alias Sonu Balram Mishra (32) and Tousif Alam Kabiruddin Siddiqui (35), were allegedly involved in the shooting at a jewellery store in Shahapur on December 21, 2024, he said. District Superintendent of Police D S Swamy said two motorcycle-borne men entered the jewellery shop on December 21, around 9 pm, and opened fire in a bid to rob the place. They shot a salesman and decamped with a bag of valuables, he said. A case under sections 103(1) (murder), 109(1) (attempted murder), 312 (attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with a deadly weapon) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita was registered against the duo. At least 12 teams comprising personnel from the local crime branch and police stations of Shahapur, Vashind, Padgha, Kasara, Bhiwandi, Khinavli and Cybercell were formed for the probe. The probe team worked on various leads, including the CCTV footage, intelligence and technical inputs, and got a lead that the wanted accused were in Uttar Pradesh. The third accused, Ankit alias Sintu Yadav, is still at large, the official said. (With inputs from PTI)
09 January,2025 01:11 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Mumbai cyber crime cell has nabbed a gang four individuals who were allegedly involved in defrauding a man of Rs 32 lakh in a case of digital arrest scam, the police said on Wednesday. The gang was busted by the North Region Cyber Police after the victim, a Kandivali resident was duped of Rs 32 lakh, an official said. The arrested suspects have been identified as Gangavihan Bhoju, Vikas Bishnoi, Premsukh Bishnoi, and Ramniwas Bishnoi. This gang was reportedly providing bank accounts to cybercriminals for fraudulent activities. According to the police the complaint a Kandivali resident, reported that the incident began in December when he received a call at home from someone claiming to be from the TRAI office. The caller falsely claimed that a case had been registered against him at a Delhi police station and transferred the call to someone posing as a Deputy Commissioner of Police Dehli crime branch. The fraudster, impersonating the DCP, extracted personal and work-related information from the complainant, warning him not to share these details with anyone. He also falsely claimed that the complainant's online activity was being monitored and that disclosing any information could lead to legal action. The next day, the complainant received another call, this time from someone claiming to be a CBI officer. The caller falsely informed him that he had been "digitally arrested" and that arrest action would soon follow. The caused the complainant significant distress. Under the pretext of preventing further action, the fraudster coerced him into transferring Rs 32 lakhs to a bank account. Suspecting foul play, the complainant approached the North Regional Cyber Police Station and filed a complaint. A special team was formed to conduct the investigation. Through their efforts, the police identified the suspects, laid a trap, and arrested the four individuals. The arrested gang members were found to have provided bank accounts to cybercriminals for executing fraud.
09 January,2025 11:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Palghar Police in Maharashtra have arrested a man from Navi Mumbai for allegedly duping over 40 persons to the tune of Rs 2 crore by posing as an Income Tax official, and promising jobs to them in the department, an official said on Wednesday, reported the PTI. The accused has been identified as Rinku Sharma (33), he said. "From 2021, Sharma posed himself as an Income Tax Commissioner and moved around in a car with the I-T department written on it and amber light fixed atop it. He offered to give a job to the complainant's daughter as an I-T Inspector and took Rs 15 lakh from him," Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Madan Ballal told reporters, according to the PTI. He also issued a fake appointment letter, although the victim never got the job, the official said. Based on the complaint, the police launched a probe. They zeroed in on Sharma (33) and nabbed him on Tuesday, he added. As many as 28 fake ID cards, including those with designations of Income Tax Assistant Commissioner, I-T Inspector, Assistant Commissioner in Home Department, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Police Commissioner, were recovered from him, the official said, as per the PTI. Senior inspector Pramod Badakh, who led the probe, said the accused conned more than 40 persons of over Rs 2 crore. "This is the primary estimate and further probe into the crime will reveal the extent of the fraud," he said. An FIR has been registered at the Pelhar police station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 318 (4) (cheating), 204 (personating a public servant), 319 (2) (cheating by personation), 338 (forgery) and others, the police said, the news agency reported. EOW takes over probe into multi-crore Torres investment scam The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police on Wednesday took over the investigation into Torres jewellery firm's multi-crore investment scam, an official said. The police have registered a case against Platinum Hern Private Limited company, which runs the 'Torres' jewellery brand, and its directors for duping investors for over Rs 13.48 crore by promising attractive returns on their investment in the firm located at Dadar in central Mumbai, he said. Three top executives of the private jewellery firm -- two of them foreign nationals -- were arrested on Tuesday evening and sent to police custody till January 13. "Considering the scope of investigation, the case was transferred to the EOW on Wednesday," he said. Accordingly, a team of EOW officials visited the Shivaji Park police station and collected related documents for the probe. After examining the case-related documents, the EOW team will take the probe ahead, he said, as per the PTI. (with PTI inputs)
09 January,2025 11:44 AM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondentAn official said that Mumbai Police on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly molesting his 15-year-old niece in the Chembur area in Mumbai, reported news agency PTI. The accused called the girl to his friend's house in the Vashi Naka locality on the pretext of giving her money to buy new clothes. He spiked her drink and molested her after she fell unconscious, the official said while sharing an update on the Mumbai crime, reported PTI. The man also recorded a video of the act and circulated it on social media, the official said while sharing an update on the Mumbai crime. Based on primary information, police have registered an FIR against the accused under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, he said. Thane man kills brother after fight over Rs 500 A 32-year-old man allegedly killed his younger brother after an argument over Rs 500 in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said, reported PTI. The incident took place on Tuesday night in the Kalyan area, they said, adding the accused has been arrested. The accused, Salim Shamim Khan, who was inebriated, got enraged when his brother Naseem Khan (27) confronted him for taking Rs 500 from his pocket without permission, an official from Bazarpeth police station said, reported PTI. The argument escalated and the accused allegedly stabbed his younger brother to death with a knife, he said. Their mother later alerted the authorities about the incident. Based on her statement, the accused was arrested on Wednesday and booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 103(1) (murder). The body was sent to a government hospital for post-mortem and a probe was on into the case, the police added. Toddler dies as college student loses balance, falls on her A two-year-old girl died of serious head injuries after a college student lost balance and fell on her while playfully chatting with his friend near the toddler in Mumbai's Juhu locality, a police official said on Wednesday, reported PTI. The student, Harshad Gaurav (aged around 20), has been booked by the police for causing death by negligence. According to the Juhu police station official, the incident took place last Thursday (January 2) when the girl, Vidhi Agrahari, was playing near a shop owned by her family. Gaurav and his friend Shahnawaz Ansari were also chatting near the shop, reported PTI. The girl's mother asked the duo not to play so close to the child and go somewhere else, but they ignored her advice. The student and his friend Ansari were having a light-hearted chat and pushing each other out of fun when the former lost balance and fell on the toddler, said the official, reported PTI. The girl suffered serious head injuries and was admitted to Cooper Hospital, where she succumbed two days later (January 4), he said. (With inputs from PTI)
09 January,2025 11:00 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
