A court in Navi Mumbai has sentenced a 44-year-old security guard to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for posing as a police officer and raping a woman in 2016, reported news agency PTI. Additional Sessions Judge Parag A Sane of Belapur court convicted the accused, Sagar Baburao Dhulap, of charges under sections 376 (rape), 170 (personating a public servant), and 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code, reported PTI. The court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for rape, two years for impersonating a police officer and three years for extortion. It also imposed a fine of Rs 1,500 and directed that the sentences are to run concurrently. A copy of the judgment, delivered on December 15, was made available on Monday. According to the prosecution, on February 13, 2016, the survivor and her friend visited a lodge in Kurla in neighbouring Mumbai, where the accused intercepted them posing as a police officer, reported PTI. Dhulap threatened to inform the parents of the survivor, who was 22 years old at the time, and demanded Rs 30,000 from her. The accused forcibly took her to a lodge in Turbhe, where he raped her, reported PTI. Judge Sane dismissed the defence's argument that the woman's failure to shout for help in public places suggested a consensual relationship. "Considering the age of the victim coupled with the entire case of the prosecution, I am of the view that only this factor will not be sufficient to discard the entire case... As the accused stated that he is a policeman. Hence, she did not shout," the court noted, reported PTI. Thane court sentences three people to 3 years RI for kidnapping baby In another case, a court in Maharashtra's Thane has sentenced three people to three years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping a five-month-old baby in the city, reported PTI. Additional sessions judge Suryakant S Shinde found the accused, including two women, guilty of charges under section 137(1)(b) (kidnapping) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for the crime that took place in October last year, reported PTI. A copy of the order dated December 15 was made available on Saturday. As per the case details, the infant's mother, Vanita Rakesh Pawar, a scrap collector, reported that he was abducted while the family was sleeping under the Rabodi flyover bridge on October 12, 2024, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
22 December,2025 01:50 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe police have arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly stabbing a labourer to death in Maharashtra's Palghar district within 24 hours of the crime, an official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI. The Vasai crime branch nabbed the accused, Kushnu Ramrai Hembram, a native of Jharkhand, in connection with the fatal attack that occurred on December 18, said senior inspector Aviraj Kurhade of the Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police, reported PTI. "An unidentified man was found with multiple stab wounds in the bushes near an industrial estate in Gauraipada, Vasai East, and he succumbed to his injuries. A murder case was registered at Waliv police station, and the victim was later identified as Tata Kirsun Hembram (30), a labourer residing in Golani, Vasai East," he said, reported PTI. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the deceased was last seen with a person from his native village on the night of December 17, he said. Acting on this lead, the police team traced and detained the suspect from Chinchpada, Vasai East, the official said. "During interrogation, the suspect, Hembram, admitted to having repeatedly stabbed the victim on the face, shoulder and neck with a sickle due to a long-standing family dispute," he said, reported PTI. Nepali man held for murdering brother in Vasai In another case, a man hailing from Nepal was arrested in Vasai in Palghar district for allegedly murdering his brother, a senior police official said on Saturday, reported PTI. Suraj Mohan Bahadur Nepali (30) assaulted his brother Yogesh Mohan Bahadur Nepali (35) on Thursday after a minor dispute, leading to the latter's death, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Madan Ballal said, reported PTI. "The two hail from Bhanumati district in Nepal and were living in Sativali in Vasai East. Both worked at a local hotel. We arrested Suraj Mohan within two hours of the crime while he was planning to flee to Nepal. A murder case has been registered at Pelhar police station and further probe is underway," the ACP said, reported PTI. Grocer held for murdering customer Meanwhile, the Thane Rural Police have identified a man, whose decomposed body was found in a water stream at Kalamgaon in Shahapur taluka, and solved a murder case within days by arresting a grocer, officials said on Saturday, reported PTI. The investigation revealed that the accused, identified as Vitthal Ratan Pardhi, assaulted Balu Vir (42) with a weapon on December 7 and dumped his body into the water stream, police stated in an official release, reported PTI. The murder was a fallout of a quarrel after Pardhi refused to lend groceries to Vir.Police registered a case for murder and destruction of evidence. (With inputs from PTI)
22 December,2025 01:43 PM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondentA 68-year-old man was allegedly cheated of Rs 23.5 lakh by cyber fraudsters who threatened him with digital arrest in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Monday, reported news agency PTI. This is a second such incident reported in the district this week, an official said. Based on a complaint, the Kalyan police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, Assistant Inspector Vinod Patil of Mahatma Phule police station said. "The complainant alleged that two unidentified persons cheated him of Rs 23.5 lakh by threatening to place him under digital arrest and forced him to transfer money through online transactions between December 8 and 12," Patil said, reported PTI. 'Digital arrest' is a growing form of cybercrime in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials or personnel of government agencies and intimidate victims through audio/video calls. They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on them to pay money. He said that the accused allegedly contacted the victim on WhatsApp video calls and claimed that his bank transactions were suspicious and linked to alleged irregularities. "The fraudsters told him that he could be placed under digital arrest, but assured him that they would help him avoid legal action if he cooperated," the officer said, reported PTI. He said that the accused repeatedly threatened the senior citizen and put pressure on him to make multiple online money transfers amounting to Rs 23.5 lakh. The fraud came to light after the victim narrated the incident to acquaintances and approached the police on realising he had been duped. "We are analysing bank transaction details, call records and digital evidence to track down the accused," Patil said, reported PTI. GST fraud: Four booked for setting up fake firms, claiming Rs 22.06 crore ITC In another incident, a case has been registered against four persons in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly creating fake GST-registered firms and claiming input tax credit of more than Rs 22.06 crore, police said on Sunday, reported PTI. Based on a complaint lodged by an official from the State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) department, the police in Kalyan on Thursday registered a case against Nikhil Gaikwad, owner of Dynamic Enterprises, Noor Mohammad Vasim Pinjari, Navnath Sukrya Gharat, and an individual identified as Sarfaraj, and a few others, reported PTI. "Between April and August this year, the accused prepared false documents for a company by submitting this false information to the government and obtained a registration certificate under the GST Act," an official from the MFC police station said, reported PTI. The accused allegedly created eight fake companies and managed to claim Rs 22.06 crore in ITC, he said. The accused have been booked under sections 111 (organised crime), 316 (criminal breach of trust), 318 (cheating), and 320 (dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property), alongside relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, but no arrests have been made so far, the official said. (With inputs from PTI)
22 December,2025 12:32 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA case of alleged fraud has come to light at Dindoshi Police Station in Mumbai, where a gas dealer was reportedly cheated of Rs 1 crore by individuals impersonating senior officers of the Mumbai Police, including the Joint Commissioner of Police. According to police officials, the complainant, Rahul Gupta, a resident of Malad, was targeted by the fraudsters who allegedly used false identities to gain his trust and extract the money. Gupta was subsequently reported missing, triggering a police search operation. A shocking case has surfaced at Dindoshi Police Station, Mumbai, where a gas dealer was allegedly duped of ₹1 crore by fraudsters posing as senior Mumbai Police officials, including the Joint Commissioner of Police. The victim, Malad-based Rahul Gupta, was later traced safely… pic.twitter.com/umMiud5Y5k — IANS (@ians_india) December 22, 2025 He was later traced safely in Palghar district, officials confirmed. Dindoshi Police have registered a case against four unidentified persons under Sections 308(4), 308(5), 308(6), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation into the incident is currently underway, police said. GST fraud: Four booked for setting up fake firms, claiming Rs 22.06 crore ITC In another incident, a case has been registered against four persons in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly creating fake GST-registered firms and claiming input tax credit of more than Rs 22.06 crore, police said on Sunday, reported PTI. Based on a complaint lodged by an official from the State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) department, the police in Kalyan on Thursday registered a case against Nikhil Gaikwad, owner of Dynamic Enterprises, Noor Mohammad Vasim Pinjari, Navnath Sukrya Gharat, and an individual identified as Sarfaraj, and a few others, reported PTI. "Between April and August this year, the accused prepared false documents for a company by submitting this false information to the government and obtained a registration certificate under the GST Act," an official from the MFC police station said, reported PTI. The accused allegedly created eight fake companies and managed to claim Rs 22.06 crore in ITC, he said. The accused have been booked under sections 111 (organised crime), 316 (criminal breach of trust), 318 (cheating), and 320 (dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property), alongside relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, but no arrests have been made so far, the official said. Meanwhile, a man was booked for allegedly posing as a personal assistant of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and husband of a DCP and duping a man of Rs 74 lakh, a police official said on Monday. The Santacruz police station official identified the accused as Vaibhav Paresh Thakkar, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
22 December,2025 10:55 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a shocking incident on Thursday morning, an 18-year-old diploma student from Navi Mumbai was thrown off a running train by a 50-year-old man. The incident occurred at 7.55 am while the student was travelling from Panvel to her college in Kharghar in the ladies’ compartment. According to the victim’s father, “In a short while, the man threw her off the train for no reason. There was no argument or altercation.” GRP registers FIR; police probing further, say Navi Mumbai student’s parents The student is currently recovering from head and back injuries at home. The man has been apprehended by the Government Railway Police (GRP), and a first information report (FIR) has been registered against him, the student’s parents told mid-day.com.
21 December,2025 10:36 PM IST | Navi Mumbai | Aditi AlurkarThe Maharashtra Cyber on Friday said that it has registered an FIR in a case involving a deepfake video falsely linked to YouTuber Payal Dhare who goes by the name Payal Gaming. Payal Dhare is a popular social media content creator. She is known for her engaging gameplay videos and live streams on YouTube and has 4.5 million subscribers on the platform. According to the officials, Dhare has filed a complaint after a video circulated online, falsely claimed to feature her, caused severe mental trauma, reputational damage, and emotional distress to her. Preliminary forensic analysis confirmed that the video was generated using AI and in a probe it was found as a deepfake video. A case has been registered under sections 3(5), 79, 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act and sections 3 and 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, an official statement said. Maharashtra Cyber takes action To protect the victim's reputation, Maharashtra Cyber has issued a certificate confirming the deepfake nature of the video. The certificate helps prevent further misuse or circulation of the fabricated content, the statement said. A detailed investigation is underway to trace the origin of the video, identify those responsible, and track anyone who circulated it for financial gain, harassment, or reputational harm. The probe includes advanced cyber forensics, digital trail analysis, and coordination with social media platform, it said. Payal's appeal In a post on social media on Wednesday, she appealed to the public and media to refrain from sharing, reproducing, or speculating about the deepfake video in any form. She added, “Appropriate legal action is being taken to address the misuse of my name and likeness and to ensure accountability under the law.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Payal Dhare (@payalgamingg)
19 December,2025 09:32 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilThe Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to former Maharashtra Minister Manikrao Kokate in a cheating and forgery case, suspending his two-year jail term but refusing to stay his conviction, reported the PTI. Justice R N Laddha stated that the court cannot stay the conviction, citing prima facie evidence of Kokate’s involvement. The case relates to Kokate allegedly securing a flat under a government scheme for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) by submitting false affidavits. The court noted that since Kokate had been on bail throughout the trial and appeal hearings, and the sentence was only two years, it was inclined to grant bail. Kokate was ordered to deposit Rs 1 lakh as surety, according to the PTI. Justice Laddha emphasised that allowing a convicted individual to hold a cabinet position based solely on a suspended sentence would prejudice public service, erode public confidence, and demoralise law-abiding citizens. Revision petition admitted Kokate’s revision petition against the Nashik sessions court order upholding his conviction has been admitted for hearing. The court highlighted that as an MLA and former cabinet minister, Kokate occupies a constitutional office with a fiduciary responsibility, requiring ethical governance and adherence to the rule of law. Background of the case The case relates to a 1989-1992 housing scheme for the EWS category, with an annual income limit of Rs 30,000. According to the Nashik sessions court, Kokate and his brother dishonestly induced the state government to allot flats by submitting false income affidavits. Evidence, including bank loans for grapes and rabi crops and records from the Kopargaon Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana sugar factory, showed Kokate had significant income at the time and did not qualify for the scheme. Health and resignation Kokate was admitted to Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, for an angiography and was scheduled for an SOS angioplasty, as per the PTI. "He has four severe blockages and we have advised him bypass surgery (process to reroute blood flow around blocked arteries). He underwent coronary angiography (X ray test to view blockages or narrowing in the heart's arteries) today," Dr Jalil Parkar and Dr Suresh Vijan said. "If Kokate does not want to undergo bypass surgery, angioplasty (procedure to widen narrowed or blocked blood vessels) can be done and treatment will continue. Kokate had two stents placed 15 years ago and these are in good condition," they added, the news agency reported. On Thursday night, he resigned from the Maharashtra cabinet following public pressure and calls for his ouster. He had been divested of his portfolios on Wednesday night. Party stresses supremacy of law Ajit Pawar said the resignation followed the court verdict and underlined that the rule of law is above individuals. “Kokate tendered his resignation to me, which has been accepted in principle, in keeping with the party’s long-standing belief that laws and rules are paramount,” Pawar said, according to the PTI. He added that public life must be guided by constitutional morality, institutional integrity and respect for the judiciary. The NCP president said that the party has full faith in the legal process and remains committed to maintaining law and order, while protecting democratic values and public trust. (with PTI inputs)
19 December,2025 06:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA senior citizen from Marol in Mumbai was allegedly duped of Rs 4.98 lakh by cyber fraudsters who posed as officials of Mahanagar Gas. According to the complaint, the incident occurred on December 7–8, when the man, who lives with his 64-year-old wife, received a text message warning that his piped natural gas (PNG) connection would be disconnected due to non-payment of the previous month’s bill. The message, sent from an unknown number, asked him to contact a person claiming to be a “Mahanagar Gas officer” and included a link to download an APK file described as a gas bill update application. After contacting the number mentioned in the message, the caller instructed the complainant to download the app and later asked him to open his bank’s mobile application. When an attempted transaction from his account failed, the fraudster asked whether he held any other bank accounts. The complainant then mentioned his brother’s account. Mumbai Police register case against unknown fraudsters The fraudster subsequently obtained the brother’s debit card details, following which three transactions of Rs 1,45,998 each were debited, totalling Rs 4,37,994. The complainant later discovered that an additional Rs 60,131 had been transferred from his own bank account. Realising that fake links and applications had been used to gain unauthorised access to their bank accounts, the complainant approached the police and lodged a formal complaint. “We have registered a case against unknown persons under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, and initiated an investigation,” an officer from the Meghwadi Police Station said. Citizens have been advised not to click on suspicious links or download APK files, the officer added.
19 December,2025 05:13 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Cyber Cell of Mumbai's Oshiwara Police Station successfully recovered Rs 98,000 that was fraudulently siphoned off from film actor Gajendra Chauhan (69), best known for his portrayal of “Yudhishthira” in the iconic television serial Mahabharat. According to Oshiwara Police sources, Chauhan, who resides in Lokhandwala, Oshiwara, Andheri West, came across a Facebook advertisement on December 10, 2025, claiming to offer dry fruits at heavily discounted rates under the D-Mart brand. After clicking on the “order” option, he received an OTP on his mobile phone. Soon after entering the OTP, he received a bank alert stating that Rs 98,000 had been debited from his account. Realising that the D-Mart advertisement was fake and that he had been cheated, Chauhan immediately approached the Oshiwara Police Station and lodged a complaint. Under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Chavan and Police Inspector Anand Pagare, the Oshiwara Police cyber team—Police Sub-Inspector Sharad Devare, ASI Ashok Konde and Constable Vikram Sarnoba—acted promptly. Upon examining the bank statement, it was found that the defrauded amount had been routed through Razorpay and diverted to Croma. The cyber team swiftly coordinated with the bank’s nodal officer, as well as nodal officers and managers of Razorpay and Croma, through official communication and emails. “Acting within the crucial ‘Golden Hour’, the team succeeded in placing the amount on hold and ensuring a full refund of Rs 98,000 to the complainant,” police said.
19 December,2025 02:57 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA couple has been arrested from Madhya Pradesh for their alleged involvement in the murder of a real estate agent in Maharashtra's Palghar district 16 years ago, an official said on Friday, reported news agency PTI. The accused, Dharmendra Ramashankar Soni (54) and his wife Kiran Dharmendra Soni (50), were taken into custody from MP's Indore district, he said, reported PTI. According to the police, a property agent was killed in April 2009 in Nalasopara East, on the outskirts of Mumbai, after a dispute over brokerage money. Subsequently, a case was registered against four persons, including the Soni couple, reported PTI. While one of the accused was arrested, the other three remained at large. The Crime Branch Cell-3 of Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar police recently reopened the case and tracked down the couple to Mhow village in MP's Indore district, said senior inspector Shahuraj Ranavre, reported PTI. The couple was brought to Nalasopara, and a local court remanded them in police custody till December 22, he said, adding that the fourth accused is still absconding. Woman ends life; kin with whom she had illicit relationship booked In another case, a 30-year-old man was booked after his female relative allegedly committed suicide inside their house, a Mumbai police official said on Thursday, reported PTI. The death of the 45-year-old woman was a fallout of their illicit relationship, he added. The incident took place in Pratiksha Nagar in central Mumbai and the accused has been identified as Saraswat Arvind Yadav, the official said, reported PTI. "The woman ended her life at their shared residence on Saturday evening. The incident came to light after her daughter came home from work. She is the complainant in the case. She alerted neighbours and also heard the voice of her kin inside, who told her the room could be opened only from outside," the official informed, reported PTI. "The woman was rushed to hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Our probe has found the deceased and her kin had an illicit relationship and she wanted him to marry her. She and her family had been staying with this relative for the past 17 years. The complainant and her father used to go to work every morning and would return in the evening. The deceased was working as a freelance market research analyst," he said, reported PTI. Yadav was booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder because he was inside the house but did not stop the woman from ending her life, nor did he rush her to hospital, the Wadala Tuck Terminal police station official said. (With inputs from PTI)
19 December,2025 11:31 AM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondentA 30-year-old man was booked after his female relative allegedly committed suicide inside their house, a Mumbai police official said on Thursday. The death of the 45-year-old woman was a fallout of their illicit relationship, he added. The incident took place in Pratiksha Nagar in central Mumbai and the accused has been identified as Saraswat Arvind Yadav, the official said. "The woman ended her life at their shared residence on Saturday evening. The incident came to light after her daughter came home from work. She is the complainant in the case. She alerted neighbours and also heard the voice of her kin inside, who told her the room could be opened only from outside," the official informed. "The woman was rushed to hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Our probe has found the deceased and her kin had an illicit relationship and she wanted him to marry her. She and her family had been staying with this relative for the past 17 years. The complainant and her father used to go to work every morning and would return in the evening. The deceased was working as a freelance market research analyst," he said. Yadav was booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder because he was inside the house but did not stop the woman from ending her life, nor did he rush her to hospital, the Wadala Tuck Terminal police station official 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.
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