Two people were detained in the Dhobi Talao area of south Mumbai for allegedly distributing slips featuring the name, photo, and booth details of BJP candidate Rahul Narvekar ahead of the polling day for Maharashtra Assembly election 2024, Mumbai Police said on Tuesday. The distribution of these slips, which include polling center information and the candidate's image, has raised concerns about a possible violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the ongoing election period. According to Mumbai Police sources, the duo were found distributing the pamphlets in a public area following which the Azad Maidan Police Station rushed to the spot. The police confirmed that no money or financial inducements were found in the possession of the detained suspects. The incident comes hours after the authorities in Palghar district of Maharashtra on Tuesday said that a police team comprising senior officials recovered around Rs 9.93 lakh and some incriminating documents from the hotel where some BJP activists were allegedly distributing money. The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) chief Hitendra Thakur alleged cash-for-votes allegations against the BJP. Thakur alleged that BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde was distributing money to voters in Palghar on the eve of the Maharashtra polls, however the BJP has denied the allegations. Hitendra Thakur had claimed Vinod Tawde had come to Virar to disburse Rs 5 crore to influence voters, and he was at a hotel, as per the PTI. A video on social media showed BVA workers confronting Vinod Tawde outside the hotel. District collector and election officer Govind Bodke said the election department received complaints from BVA activists that some BJP workers were distributing cash at a hotel in Virar. Following this, the returning officer of Nalasopara and a police team, along with the joint police commissioner and two deputy police commissioners, searched the hotel and recovered Rs 9.93 lakh cash and some incriminating documents, the official said. The collector, in a recorded message, confirmed that cases were registered for offences, including possession of cash, violation of the model code of conduct, and holding illegal press conferences, according to the PTI. (with PTI inputs)
19 November,2024 10:21 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA Mumbai court on Tuesday extended till November 23 the police custody of Shivkumar Gautam, the alleged main shooter arrested in Baba Siddique murder case, reported the PTI. The police sought further remand of Gautam, saying he was allegedly not cooperating with the probe, and the weapon used in the shooting has not been recovered as yet. The Mumbai crime branch, in a joint operation with Uttar Pradesh's special task force (STF), apprehended the 20-year-old shooter and four others from Uttar Pradesh on November 10. According to the PTI, the four others---Anurag Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Srivastava and Akhilendra Pratap Singh, were arrested for allegedly sheltering Gautam and helping him flee to Nepal. All the accused were produced before additional chief judicial magistrate Vinod Patil at the end of their previous remand on Tuesday. The court extended Gautam's police custody till November 23, while the other accused were sent to 14-day judicial custody. Meanwhile, the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Anmol has been detained in California, US. The Mumbai Crime Branch had earlier this month filed an application before the special MCOCA court seeking his extradition in connection with the firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence, for which Anmol and his brother are named as key conspirators. Earlier, official channels had confirmed his location in the US, and agencies have now been informed of his detention in California. While the Mumbai Crime Branch now awaits confirmation from sister agencies about his detention, intelligence sources have verified that Anmol has been held. Anmol, a key member of the Bishnoi gang, has been operating from abroad. A Red Corner Notice was issued against him, and earlier this month, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) added his name to its most-wanted list, announcing a Rs 10 lakh reward for any information leading to his arrest. He is also wanted in the murder case of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, for allegedly supplying weapons used in the killing. Former Maharashtra minister and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique (66) was shot dead by three assailants outside his son MLA Zeeshan Siddique's office building in Bandra East on October 12. He sustained two bullet injuries on his chest and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he passed away. (with PTI inputs)
19 November,2024 06:32 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Tulinj police station in Maharashtra registered two separate FIRs concerning the alleged illegal distribution of cash to influence voters in the Nalasopara constituency, the officials said on Tuesday. The Virar cash-for-vote case came to light after a massive cash recovery of Rs. 9.53 lakh from a hotel, where BJP leaders are accused of allegedly attempting to bribe the voters. According to the officials, the first FIR has been filed against BJP candidate Rajan Naik, who is contesting from Nalasopara constituency. Breaking News:A clash between BJP and BVA erupted in Nalasopara over money distribution allegations. BJP leaders Vinod Tawde and Rajan Naik, along with BVA candidate Kshitij Thakur, confronted each other at Vivant Hotel, Virar East. Electoral officials and local police are on… pic.twitter.com/hoLfQTSyFs — Mid Day (@mid_day) November 19, 2024 The complaint alleges that Naik, along with other party leaders, was involved in a scheme to distribute cash to voters in exchange for support during the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election 2024. According to police sources, the cash was recovered from a room at Vivanta Hotel, which is located in close proximity to the Nalasopara constituency. The money was allegedly meant to be distributed among voters to secure their votes for Naik and the BJP in the elections. DCP Pournima Chougule-Shringi confirmed that a team was dispatched to the hotel after receiving a tip-off regarding the incident and the FIRs has been registered following the incident. Two FIRs have been filed at Tulinj police station over the illegal cash recovery and voter bribery in Nalasopara. The first FIR is against BJP candidate Rajan Naik, with a second FIR being processed. A total of Rs. 9.53 lakh in cash was seized from Vivanta hotel, where BJP… pic.twitter.com/xSYa0k8xIB — Mid Day (@mid_day) November 19, 2024 The investigation is ongoing, and the second FIR is in the process of being registered, with more individuals likely to be named in connection with the cash distribution scheme, said an official. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Vinod Tawde on Tuesday reacted to the money distribution allegations against him ahead of the voting for Maharashtra Assembly election 2024 and said that the Election Commission (EC) should conduct an impartial investigation. According to the ANI, Vinod Tawde said, "I believe that Election Commission should conduct an impartial investigation." Explaining the matter Tawde said, "A meeting of MLAs of Nalasopara was underway. The Model Code of Conduct for the day of voting, how will voting machines be sealed and how to go about if an objection has to be made...I went there to tell them about it. The workers of the party (Bahujan Vikas Aghadi), Appa Thakur and Kshitij thought that we were distributing money. Let the Election Commission and Police inquire, let them get CCTV footage. I have been in the party for 40 years. Appa Thakur and Kshitij know me, the entire party knows me...Still, I believe that Election Commission should conduct an impartial investigation." The allegations have sparked a political storm ahead of the November 20 polls. A purported video of a face-off between Tawde and Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leaders and workers has surfaced on social media.
19 November,2024 05:38 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaThe brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Anmol has been detained in California, US. The Mumbai Crime Branch had earlier this month filed an application before the special MCOCA court seeking his extradition in connection with the firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence, for which Anmol and his brother are named as key conspirators. Earlier, official channels had confirmed his location in the US, and agencies have now been informed of his detention in California. While the Mumbai Crime Branch now awaits confirmation from sister agencies about his detention, intelligence sources have verified that Anmol has been held. Anmol, a key member of the Bishnoi gang, has been operating from abroad. A Red Corner Notice was issued against him, and earlier this month, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) added his name to its most-wanted list, announcing a R10 lakh reward for any information leading to his arrest. He is also wanted in the murder case of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, for allegedly supplying weapons used in the killing. In addition to these charges, Anmol faces over two dozen criminal cases in India, which include the firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence in April. The incident led to the arrest of six members of the Bishnoi gang, with Anmol and his brother named in the charge sheet. His gang also took responsibility for the firing outside singer AP Dhillon’s residence in Canada over his collaboration with Salman Khan in a music video. Anmol’s name also surfaced during the investigation of the Baba Siddique murder case, wherein he allegedly directed the shooters via Snapchat. The Mumbai Crime Branch has declared him a wanted accused in the Siddique case. Rs 10 LNIA reward amount for information on Anmol
19 November,2024 08:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanJailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s younger brother, Anmol, wanted in connection with the murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique and a shooting incident outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai residence, has been detained in the United States, news agency PTI stated quoting Mumbai Police sources said on Monday. Anmol, who was believed to have been residing in Canada and frequently travelling to the US, is Bishnoi's younger brother. Bishnoi is accused of running a global criminal syndicate despite being in jail. Around 25 people have been arrested so far in the Baba Siddique murder probe. On Sunday, two accused, Salman Vohra and Akashdeep Singh, were remanded in police custody till November 21 by Mumbai’s Killa Court (Esplanade Court). Vohra is accused of financing the murder, while Akashdeep Singh is believed to have communicated with other individuals involved in the crime. Speaking to ANI, Advocate Shila Gupta, representing Vohra, said: “He has been accused of financing the murder. He was brought here after being arrested in Uttar Pradesh.” Singh's lawyer, Advocate Shaikah Faizan, said his client was brought to Mumbai from the Punjab border. "The alleged role of both the accused is different. Along with Pappu Singh, they allegedly communicated with each other via a device and passed messages. The other accused is alleged to be financially supporting others. I cannot provide more details as they have just been presented in court, and today was their first remand,” Faizan said. NCP leader was murdered on Oct 12 in Bandra The investigation into the Baba Siddique murder case has also led to the detention of Shiva Kumar, who is the main shooter. Kumar, along with four other suspects, was arrested by a joint team of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Mumbai Crime Branch on November 10, in the Nanpara area of Bahraich. The accused were remanded in police custody till Tuesday. NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead by three assailants on October 12 near his legislator son Zeeshan's office in Mumbai’s Nirmal Nagar. The gang led by Bishnoi has claimed responsibility for the murder. According to the information received from a senior officer, the Mumbai Crime Branch has revealed that after the murder of Baba Siddiqui, a big leader of Pune was also on the radar of the Bishnoi gang. According to ANI, on November 16, sources revealed that Shubham Lonkar, a key mastermind and a wanted accused in the Baba Siddique case, had allegedly planned to kill Aftab Poonawala, the accused in the infamous Shraddha Walker murder case. Sources further claimed that Lonkar, reportedly linked to the Bishnoi gang, had been plotting to kill Poonawala for over a month in 2022. The plan allegedly involved targeting Poonawala during a hearing at Delhi’s Saket Court. Poonawala is currently imprisoned in Tihar Jail No 4 in Delhi. (With ANI and PTI inputs)
18 November,2024 09:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPolice have seized the banned gutka valued at Rs 58.68 lakh from a tempo and arrested its driver in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI. Acting on a tip, the police raided a premises at the ration office compound in Bhiwandi area on Saturday afternoon. They found the tempo with gutka of various brands stocked in it, the official from Nizampura police station said. The 35-year-old tempo driver was arrested and after his questioning, the police came to know about three others involved in the illegal gutka trade, he said, adding that efforts were on to nab them, reported PTI. A case was registered against the accused under the FDA regulations and other legal provisions, the police said. A probe was on to ascertain the sourced of the contraband and to whom it was meant to be sold, they added. Gutka valued at over Rs 32 lakh seized; one held Earlier this month, the police have seized gutka valued at over Rs 32 lakh in Maharashtra's Thane district and arrested one of the four persons transporting the banned substance, reported news agency PTI. Acting on inputs, police intercepted two tempos near the Soma Nagar locality of Bhiwandi on November 7 morning. The vehicles were loaded with cartons of gutka, the official said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported news agency PTI. Gutka, which contains tobacco and other harmful products and can cause cancer, is banned in Maharashtra. While police were carrying out an inspection, three persons, including the driver of one of the tempos, escaped from the spot. Police arrested the driver of the other tampo and identified him as Ankit Rajendra Pal (26), the official said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI. The seized gutka is worth over Rs 32 lakh, said Assistant Inspector S B Mahale of Bhoiwada police station, adding that a probe is underway to ascertain the source of the consignment and its intended destination. Two held with banned gutka, tobacco products of Rs 9 lakh In September, the police arrested two persons after seizing banned gutka and tobacco products valued at Rs 9.04 lakh in Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Kalyan Crime Branch unit conducted a raid at a shop in the Shil-Phata area. The team seized the contraband stock, which included various brands of gutka and tobacco products intended for sale and distribution, a police spokesperson said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI. Two persons, both aged 29 and residents of Mumbra and Shil-Phata area, were arrested after the raid, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
18 November,2024 12:58 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentPolice have registered a case against an investment firm owner in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly cheating two persons of Rs 1.39 crore by luring them to invest money in share market for better returns, an official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI. The victims invested Rs 1.64 crore through his company in two years till June 2024, hoping to get good returns, the official from Mumbra police station said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI. However, the accused did not invest the money in the share market and instead misappropriated it. He later refunded only Rs 24.9 lakh to the victims, who subsequently filed a police complaint, the official said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI. The police on Sunday registered an FIR against the investment firm owner under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by businessman) of the Indian Penal Code, he added. Eight held for porting phone numbers without KYC for online cheating Eight persons were arrested for allegedly porting mobile phone numbers without Know Your Customer documents and providing them to cyber fraudsters to create Whatsapp groups for online cheating, a police official said on November 14, reported PTI. The arrests were made by the cyber police station of Mumbai crime branch, he added. The arrested persons include employees of two leading mobile phone service providers and shop owners, the official added. "These Whatsapp groups were used to lure people into bogus share investments and trade. The eight-member gang has sold at least 3,000 numbers in this illegal way. The fraudsters have cheated people of several crore rupees. The probe began after a man lodged a complaint that he was cheated of Rs 51.33 lakh between May 14 and June 28 this year," he said, reported PTI. "Our probe found that his number was added to a Whatsapp group with the help of a SIM card that was ported illegally using UPC code," he added. (With inputs from PTI)
18 November,2024 11:59 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Santacruz police have arrested a man for allegedly abducting and killing a nine-year-old boy. The incident took place on the evening of Chhath Puja. Police said the accused, identified as Maheshwar Mukhiya, 31, a garment shop worker, abducted the boy on the evening of the festival from near his residence in Santacruz West and strangled him to death. He later put the body in a sack and dumped it on the roof of a garment factory in Santacruz and fled to Bihar. Police sources have said that the man confessed to wanting to sexually assault the child which is why he lured him. Police said the nine-year-old went missing on November 7, adding that a missing person report was filed on November 8 when the boy’s parents approached them with their complaint. The boy’s decomposed body was found on November 11 by the police following complaints of a foul smell. After the body was found, it was sent for post-mortem and a murder case was registered in this regard. Under the guidance of the deputy commissioner of police, Dixit Gedam, zone 8, a team was formed to nab the accused. The police said that they scrutinised the CCTV footage from the area, which showed the accused leaving the premises suspiciously carrying a sack. Further enquiry into the incident revealed that the accused had fled to his native village Madhubani in Bihar, on the night of the incident. Following this, a a team of cops travelled to Bihar. After several hours of surveillance, they apprehended Maheshwar from Madhubani on Saturday and brought him back to Mumbai. Maheshwar told the police that he had tried to sexually assault the boy but had to kill him when he started screaming. He was produced in the court on Sunday, where he was remanded in police custody for further investigation.
18 November,2024 10:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Malad Police arrested a 41-year-old man who turned to fraud to manage the expenses of his two wives. Facing financial difficulties, the accused devised a scheme to lure young job seekers with fake promises of part-time jobs. Once the complainants met him to discuss the job, he would flee with their mobile phones. After months of investigation, the police apprehended the accused and recovered 18 stolen mobile phones from him. According to the Malad Police, the accused confessed that he committed the crime due to financial struggles, which arose from having to support two households. A case has been registered against the accused, Mohammed Kasim Shaikh alias Atif, and further investigations are ongoing to determine if he has duped more people. According to police sources, the Mumbra resident had married for the second time around seven years ago. He had one son from each of his marriages. Both his wives live separately in two different houses which he has taken on rent in different areas of Mumbra. Shaikh initially operated a small clothing business but struggled to earn enough from it. To supplement his income, he worked as a part-time food delivery executive. However, after his second marriage, the growing expenses of supporting two households became overwhelming for him. Desperate to meet the financial demands, he turned to fraud, the police said. Police recovered 18 phones from the accused. Pic/Samiullah Khan The accused would approach students and young people looking for jobs by roaming across various areas around Mumbra. He would particularly target those carrying expensive mobile phones, the police said. Shaikh would befriend them and offer enticing job opportunities, claiming that they could earn between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 for just an hour of work. His scheme involved luring victims to posh areas and promising them tasks such as loading and unloading clothes for branded companies. Once he gained their trust, he would arrange to meet them outside reputed clothing stores and, under the pretense of discussing job details, flee with their mobile phones. "He has deceived four individuals in Malad alone. He has carried out similar crimes in Bandra, Colaba, Marine Drive, Khar, and various locations within the Thane district. He used to cover his rent and other expenses by selling the phones he stole from the complainants," said an officer. The Malad Police, who were on the lookout for Shaikh, came to know about the accused from the police station where he had been arrested before. Once they confirmed that the description shared by the complainant matched with their suspect, the cops checked the call data record (CDR) of the accused. Malad Police personnel had been roaming around various clothing markets for months in a bid to nab Shaikh. On Thursday, he was arrested from Lokhandwala in Andheri. Shortly before his arrest, Shaikh had allegedly duped a job seeker of his mobile phone and later went to Lokhandwala in a bid to cheat another person, the officer added. "Under the guidance of DCP (Deputy Commissioner of Police) Anand Bhoite, senior inspector Vijaykumar Panhale, inspector Sanjay Bedwal, API (Assistant Inspector) Mahesh Mundhe along with detection officer PSI (Sub-inspector) Tushar Sukhdev and their team traced the accused and apprehended him after months of investigation and recovered 18 stolen mobile phones from him. He has confessed to his crimes," said Assistant Police Commissioner Hemant Sawant. "Further inquiries are ongoing. We urge the citizens to remain cautious about job offers from unverified sources," he added.
17 November,2024 11:37 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Santacruz Police on Sunday arrested a 31-year-old man from Bihar for allegedly abducting a child from his locality and murdering him in Mumbai 10 days ago. According to the police, the nine-year-old victim went missing on November 7 from Santacruz after coming back from the Chhath Puja festivities. While his parents went home, the boy decided to play in his locality. When he did not return home after a while, his parents got worried and began searching for him. The next day, they approached the Santacruz Police and filed a missing complaint, following which the cops began probing the case. Three days later, some locals complained of foul odour from the roof of a factory roof in Santacruz (West). They informed the police who opened the factory and found the boy's decomposed body from there. His parents identified him from the shirt he was wearing. After conducting a panchnama, the cops sent the body for the post-mortem and registered a murder case against an unidentified person, an officer from Santacruz Police Station said. Under the guidance of Circle Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dixit Gedam, a team led by Senior Inspector Vaibhav Shingare, comprising Inspectors Jyoti Hibare and Ranjit Andhale began their investigation into the case. The CCTV footage from the area gave them crucial evidence. In the footage, the police discovered that the accused, who is a helper in a local garment shop, was leaving the premises in a suspicious manner, with a sack on his shoulder. Further inquiries revealed that he had fled to his hometown in Madhubani, Bihar. One team of the Santacruz Police traveled to Bihar, where they carried out reconnaissance in Madhubani. After several hours of surveillance, they apprehended the accused. He was brought back to Mumbai and produced in a local court, which remanded him in police custody for further investigation. According to the police, the accused took the boy to a garment factory and intended to sexually assault him, sources in Mumbai Police said. However, when the child began crying in fear, the accused panicked and strangled the boy. After realising that he was dead, the accused put the body in a sack and left it on the factory roof and fled. He first went to another factory and then fled to Bihar, the officer added.
17 November,2024 08:06 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Mumbai Crime Branch on Sunday arrested a Gujarat resident from Akola in Maharashtra in the Baba Siddique murder case, taking the number of people held in the sensational incident to 25, an officer said. Salmanbhai Iqbalbhai Vohra, a resident of Petlad in Gujarat's Anand district, was held from Balapur in Akola, some 565 kilometres from the metropolis, with the help of the police there, the Crime Branch officer added. The 66-year-old Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was gunned down on October 12 near his legislator son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra East's Nirmal Nagar area. "Vohra had opened a bank account in May this year and had provided financial support to Nareshkumar Singh, brother of arrested accused Gurmail Singh, Rupesh Mohol and Harishkumar. He has also helped others connected to the crime," the officer said. Gurmail Singh from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh resident Dharmaraj Kashyap were held from the spot immediately after the murder. The police recently got a major breakthrough in the case when it arrested alleged main shooter Shivkumar Gautam from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh. Gautam, who was on the run since October 12, was held while trying to flee to Nepal, as per police. 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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