A Mumbai court on Wednesday acquitted gangster Arun Gawli, his younger brother Vijay Ahir and five of his gang members in a 2008 extortion case, reported the PTI. The court stated that the prosecution failed to prove the charges against them, according to the PTI. Gawli is serving life imprisonment for the murder of Shiv Sena leader Kamlakar Jamsandekar. He is currently lodged in a Nagpur jail in Maharashtra. There were nine accused in the extortion case, of which one died during the course of the trial and another turned approver. The rest, including Gawli and his brother, were acquitted by Special Judge B D Shelke, who presides over the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) special court in Mumbai, as per the PTI. A builder undertaking an SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) redevelopment project in Dadar in 2005 had filed an extortion complaint against the Gawli gang in 2008. He had alleged that Arun Gawli, through his gang members, demanded Rs 50 lakh to allow him to continue the redevelopment project, the prosecution said, the news agency reported on Wednesday. The complainant had agreed to pay Rs 10 lakh in instalments. Between December 2005 and May 2006, he paid Rs 7 lakh to the gang, said the prosecution. The builder also claimed to have paid another Rs 1 lakh as a donation for Navratri celebrations. He further alleged that sometime in June or July 2005, one Dinesh Narkar, a co-accused in the case, came to his office and assaulted him. Narkar made him talk to Arun Gawli's brother Vijay Ahir, who directed him to pay Rs 3 lakh to the gang member, the court was told. The builder then reported the threat to the crime branch. The builder claimed that he did not file a complaint earlier due to Gawli's terror, the prosecution said. During the investigation by the crime branch, it came to light that the extortion had been committed by the members of an organised syndicate, and hence, the provisions of MCOCA were invoked in the case, the prosecution said, reported the PTI. After going through the documents on record, the court ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish ¿much less beyond reasonable doubt¿ that the accused were engaged in unlawful activity defined under MCOCA. "In present case, evidence on record clearly demonstrates that the prosecution has failed to establish the guilt of the accused for the offences punishable under Indian Penal Code for extortion," the court ruled, according to the PTI. Therefore, the accused cannot be held guilty for offences under MCOCA, it added. Arun Gawli, the founder of the Akhil Bharatiya Sena, was an MLA from 2004-2009 from the Chinchpokli assembly seat in Mumbai and had shot into prominence from Dagdi Chawl, a neighbourhood in the Byculla area. He was arrested for the 2007 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. In August 2012, a sessions court in Mumbai sentenced him to life imprisonment in the murder case. (with PTI inputs)
14 May,2025 06:32 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Police have seized various narcotic drugs collectively worth more than Rs 6 crore from a house in Govandi area of Mumbai, and arrested one person in connection with the matter, an official said on Wednesday. According to the police, the seizure of drugs was made on Tuesday night by a team of police officials. Following the seizure, a 23-year-old accused was arrested by the police. He has been identified as Salman Shaikh, an official said. "Based on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid at Shaikh's house. During the operation, three kilograms of mephedrone or MD drug worth Rs 6 crore, 12 kilograms of ganja valued at Rs 2.40 lakh, 36 bottles of codeine phosphate (Corex) of Rs 18,000 and Rs 1.30 lakh cash - collectively worth Rs 6,03, 88,000, were recovered from there," the official of Shivaji Nagar police station said, according to the PTI. The suspect was arrested under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he said. The police are trying to find out from where he sourced all these drugs, he said, adding that further investigations were underway. Drugs worth Rs 10 crore seized in Pune, Mumbai; three arrested Meanwhile, in an another incident, the officials on Tuesday said that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized narcotic drugs including hashish worth around Rs 10.3 crore at the Pune airport and in Mumbai, reported news agency PTI. Acting on a tip-off, DRI's Mumbai Zonal Unit intercepted two passengers when they landed in Pune from Bangkok on Monday. Airtight pouches of 9.86 kg of hydroponic weed, a form of marijuana, were recovered from their baggage, a DRI press release said on Wednesday. Further investigations in the matter led to a follow-up operation in Mumbai, a man who was to receive the drugs was arrested. The search at his premises led to the recovery of 478 gm of narcotic substances, including hashish and hydroponic weed, it added, reported PTI. All three persons -- their identities not disclosed -- were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the DRI said. (with PTI inputs)
14 May,2025 05:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra government on Wednesday issued a set of detailed guidelines mandating schools to install CCTV cameras, conduct counselling sessions and scrutiny of staff, reported the PTI. As per the guidelines, the schools must store at least one month of data backup of the CCTVs and the schools shall report offences against students to the police. It said that the schools must also scrutinise its staff and conduct random alcohol tests on drivers of school vehicles, among others. According to the PTI, providing counselling to students facing mental pressure or harassment and sensitising pre-primary and primary students about good touch and bad touch are also part of these guidelines. The guidelines are part of a Government Resolution (GR) issued on May 13 by the state school education department, aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. These guidelines aim to improve security at schools against the backdrop of sexual assault of two kindergarten students in the toilet of a school in Badlapur town of Thane district in August last year. There were allegations that the school administration and the police did not take timely action in the matter, as per the PTI. Akshay Shinde a sanitation worker at the school was arrested for the sexual assault on August. He was shot dead inside a police van while being taken to Kalyan from Taloja prison for a probe in another case. The GR defines every person under 18 years of age as a minor and mandates school authorities to report any suspected offences to the local police station or the special juvenile police unit. The order mandates all schools to install CCTV cameras with at least one month of data backup on the premises. Non-compliance could lead to action, such as withholding of government grants and cancellation of school registration, the GR warns. School authorities are instructed to scrutinise its staff and may seek character certificates issued by the police from candidates. Preferably, women teachers should be appointed for students in pre-primary to Class VI, said the order. Where school transport is used, random alcohol tests must be conducted on drivers and supporting staff. A woman staff member is also required to be present in each school bus, the order said. Stressing the need for child safety and awareness, the GR directs schools to educate students and teachers on the Chirag application developed by the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Chirag application is a tool for reporting and accessing information related to child rights. According to the GR, schools must display the 1098 child helpline number prominently and inform parents via SMS if their children remain absent. Institutions are also required to provide counselling services to students facing mental pressure or harassment and to sensitise pre-primary and primary students about "good touch and bad touch", reported the PTI. School managements must ensure the absence of cigarette and tobacco shops within one kilometre radius of the school premises and are encouraged to notify the police if violations are found. Additionally, each school must install a complaint box with a mechanism to ensure anonymity and prevent any harassment of the complainant, the GR said, as per the PTI. The order also mandates the formation of Sakhi Savitri committees at school, tehsil and district levels, with a directive for school-level committees to maintain records of children with disabilities. Schools are expected to sensitise communities on the harmful effects of child marriage as well, the news agency reported. The GR also places responsibilities on parents, urging both school authorities and guardians to avoid sharing personal information, such as phone numbers and addresses on social media, to use antivirus software, and to remain vigilant against fake accounts and unsafe gadget usage. Schools must hold awareness meetings with parents on cyber security and responsible use of digital platforms. Teachers are additionally expected to conduct sessions on self-defence, recognising threats, and crisis response, with such training being mandatory for girls, the order said. (with PTI inputs)
14 May,2025 04:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe officials on Tuesday said that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized narcotic drugs including hashish worth around Rs 10.3 crore at the Pune airport and in Mumbai, reported news agency PTI. Acting on a tip-off, DRI's Mumbai Zonal Unit intercepted two passengers when they landed in Pune from Bangkok on Monday. Airtight pouches of 9.86 kg of hydroponic weed, a form of marijuana, were recovered from their baggage, a DRI release said. In a follow-up operation in Mumbai, a man who was to receive the drugs was arrested. The search at his premises led to the recovery of 478 gm of narcotic substances, including hashish and hydroponic weed, it added, reported PTI. All three persons -- their identities not disclosed -- were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the DRI said. Medical sales rep arrested with codeine worth Rs 2 cr in Thane In another case, a 48-year-old medical sales representative from Rajasthan has been arrested for alleged possession of codeine powder worth Rs 2 crore in Maharashtra's Thane city, police said on Monday, reported PTI. Based on a tip-off, a team from the Anti-Narcotics Cell raided a hotel near Thane railway station on May 9 and apprehended the accused, Suresh Parmar, an official said, reported PTI. He said the team found more than 1 kg of codeine, an opiate in powder form, which had arrived via a courier service from Jodhpur in Parmar's possession, a medical sales representative, reported PTI. The seized contraband was worth Rs 2 crore, he said. The official said the accused has been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and a probe is underway to find out where the banned substance was sourced from and to whom it was to be sold. Ganja seized from shops in Bhiwandi; three held Meanwhile, the police have seized ganja from shops in Maharashtra's Thane district and arrested three persons following raids, an official said on Sunday, reported PTI. Based on a tip-off, the police raided three establishments on Friday night in the Yewai naka area of Bhiwandi, senior inspector Vilas L Kadam said, reported PTI. The police team seized 2.9 kg of ganja worth Rs 59,000 from the shops and recovered Rs 3.11 lakh cash from the three accused, he said. The official said a case has been registered against the trio under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. (With inputs from PTI)
14 May,2025 02:58 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentA Thane court has convicted two men for house trespass and outraging modesty in a case where they, along with four others, were accused of barging into a house in Kalwa area and assaulting a man in an extortion attempt, reported news agency PTI. In the verdict delivered on May 9, the Thane court, however, acquitted the accused of extortion and charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). The copy of the order became available on Tuesday. Ganesh Rangnath Shinde alias Kala Ganya and Ankush Suryakant Gawand were sentenced to the period of imprisonment already undergone. Ganesh Shinde had been in custody for over six years, and Ankush Gawand for nearly one year and ten months, reported PTI. Special judge (MCOCA) Amit M Shete also ordered them to pay a fine of Rs. 2,000 per offence each. Out of the fine amount, Rs 5,000 shall to be paid as compensation to the complainant's wife, the judge said. As per Kalwa Police, Ganesh Shinde and his associates entered the complainant's house on September 9, 2016. The intruders demanded Rs 10,000 from him, assaulted him and outraged the modesty of his wife and her sisters, reported PTI. The judge found Shinde and Ankush Gawand guilty under sections 354 (outraging modesty), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code while acquitting Sandeep alias Sanjay Gadekar, Ajit alias Tilya Maruti Sudke and Devidas alias Deva Rabaji Gadekar. Another accused died during the trial, so did the complainant. The Thane court relied on the testimonies of the women witnesses, but found no sufficient evidence to back the police's claim that Shinde and others were part of an "organised crime syndicate" as required for conviction under the stringent MCOCA, reported PTI. The Thane court also pointed out serious investigation lapses including the police's failure to secure CCTV footage from the crime scene. Thane court acquits man booked under MCOCA for highway robbery A special court in Thane district has acquitted a man booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in a 17-year-old highway robbery and dacoity case, citing insufficient evidence, reported news agency PTI. Additional Special Judge A N Sirsikar acquitted Shobhan alias Gando Himla Machar of charges under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and MCOCA. A copy of the order, dated April 29, was made available on Monday. Machar was arrested in 2008 in connection with a robbery on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway on December 9, 2007, during which vehicles were stopped and occupants looted of valuables worth more than Rs 3 lakh, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
14 May,2025 02:33 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Mumbai, arrested the head of Shivaji Nagar Police Station in Govandi on Tuesday night after catching him red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh. The amount was part of a Rs 2.5 lakh bribe reportedly demanded by the officer from a school trustee seeking police assistance in a legal matter. Senior Police Inspector Bapurao Madhukar Deshmukh (57) was apprehended by ACB officials during a trap operation following a complaint from a 41-year-old trustee of a school in Mumbai. The complainant had earlier approached the Shivaji Nagar police and the Charity Commissioner’s office after a group of individuals forcibly broke the lock and entered the school premises on August 15, 2024. According to the ACB officials, Deshmukh had allegedly demanded Rs 3 lakh to prevent the unauthorised individuals from re-entering the premises and to provide police protection until the Charity Commissioner issued a final order. After negotiations, the bribe amount was reportedly settled at Rs 2.5 lakh, with the officer allegedly agreeing to accept the first installment of Rs 1 lakh. The ACB laid a trap and arrested Deshmukh as he accepted the money. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to police sources, Deshmukh was supposed to get retired this year. He will be produced in the court by ACB today (Wednesday).
14 May,2025 11:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerA 63-year-old retiree from Sewri, Vijay Mhatre, allegedly lost Rs 6.5 lakh — his life savings —after misplacing his mobile phone during a routine grocery run at the Dadar market. When he later checked his bank account, he was left with just Rs 276, with the remaining amount siphoned off through unauthorised transactions. Mhatre, a resident of BDD Chawl, went to the daily vegetable and fruit market near Veer Kotwal Udyan in Dadar West in the morning of May 1. He told mid-day, “I don’t really remember if I dropped my phone or forgot it somewhere. But when I realised it was missing, I panicked — though I had the sense to rush to my SIM card operator’s gallery for assistance. Unfortunately, their server was down, so my SIM card couldn’t be blocked.” The senior citizen then rushed to his SIM card provider and asked the staff to block his number, but unfortunately, their server seemed to be down, further confusing Mhatre After returning home, Mhatre informed his family and had to immediately leave for Alibaug to attend his maternal aunt’s funeral. “I thought I’d follow up about the phone later. While in Alibaug, I needed some emergency cash and went to a local bank to withdraw money. That’s when I was told my account balance was Rs 276. That account had over Rs 1.5 lakh. When I checked my other bank account — where my pension gets deposited — that too had been wiped clean. It had over R5.5 lakh,” said Mhatre. The matter was initially registered at Shivaji Park police station, but was later transferred to RAK Marg police station after it was determined that the incident likely occurred within their jurisdiction. “The phone that I lost was a new one gifted by my son. I don’t even have UPI or banking apps installed. I’ve never done online transactions — I only use ATMs or visit the bank directly. So I don’t understand how money could be withdrawn from my account,” Mhatre said.“What’s more shocking is how the bank allowed such huge transfers without any alert or approval from me. Meanwhile, the police suspect that the transactions were carried out by fraudsters who may have downloaded UPI apps onto the victim’s phone. Mhatre was told by the bank staff that all he had in his accounts was Rs 276. Shocked, he bombarded the bank staff with questions but received no answers PoliceSpeak “They likely created a new profile in the victim’s name, linked it to his bank account using the phone number. Since they set up the profile themselves, they would have had access to the password. We are also working with the bank to trace the accounts to which the money was transferred through multiple transactions,” said a police officer. R Ragasudha, deputy commissioner of police, Zone IV, said such cases are becoming increasingly common. “To prevent such incidents, citizens must block their bank accounts immediately if a phone containing a SIM card is lost. Also, avoid storing passwords on notepad apps.”
14 May,2025 07:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerThe Vasai couple who allegedly stripped and brutally assaulted their 43-year-old Kandivli-based relative — and filmed the attack on April 5, which later went viral among family members — have finally been arrested by the Waliv police after being on the run for over a month. The victim’s husband had filed the FIR on April 9.The accused had gone into hiding immediately after the crime. In a bid to avoid arrest, they first approached the sessions court for anticipatory bail and, after rejection, moved the Bombay High Court. However, both pleas were dismissed. According to police sources, the high court observed the seriousness of the charges and photographs submitted by the prosecution, which showed the accused woman assaulting the complainant. The court said that, considering the conduct of the applicant, granting anticipatory bail could result in tampering with evidence or intimidation of the victim and witnesses. It concluded that the bail application had no merit and rejected it outright. The victim’s husband called the assault “inhuman,” stating, “This is not the act of a human being, but a beast. And even after absconding, they had the audacity to send messages through relatives, pressuring us to withdraw the case.” A close family member expressed anguish over the delay in the arrest. “The police claimed they had no clue about their whereabouts, yet the accused were sending messages via family members asking for a compromise,” the relative said. Lawyer’s statement Advocate Abhijit Mandre, representing the victim, called the accused couple’s actions “heinous and against humanity.” He said, “Disrobing a woman, recording the violence, and circulating the video is a violation of every norm of a civilised society. They deserve the strictest punishment under the law.” PoliceSpeak Senior Inspector Dilip Ghuge of Waliv Police Station confirmed the arrest to mid-day and said the accused will be produced in court today (Tuesday).When asked where the couple had been hiding and where they were arrested, Ghuge declined to comment, stating, “We are conducting further investigation.” April 5Day the incident occurred
14 May,2025 07:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Tuesday revealed that the accused in the Mithi River desilting scam arranged foreign trips for BMC officials and their families as kickbacks in exchange for favourable treatment in awarding desilting contracts, an official said. The accused were produced in court on Tuesday and have been remanded to judicial custody. According to the EOW’s remand application, the arrested accused include Ketan Kadam, a middleman and director of Woder India LLP, and Jayesh Joshi of Virgo Specialities Pvt. Ltd., a firm that allegedly supplied equipment such as silt-pusher machines to various contractors involved in the desilting work. EOW sources revealed that the investigation has found Kadam sponsored international travel — including flights and hotel stays — for BMC Assistant Engineer Prashant Ramgude. “It has come to light that trips to Singapore and Dubai were arranged by accused Kadam for the BMC engineer, who is now accused and wanted in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam,” an EOW officer stated. According to the remand application, the accused, Ramgude, made a day trip to Singapore with his family, and the hotel-- InterContinental Singapore--was booked by Kadam. Similarly, during a trip to Dubai, the hotel arrangements were also made by Kadam. The details of these bookings have been retrieved from Kadam. The EOW has also stated that the investigation has revealed a woman working at a beauty parlour who is believed to be very close to Ramgude. They suspect that Ramgude may be accepting bribes through her, and this angle is currently being investigated. Dr Yusuf Iqbal and Adv. Zain Shroff from YNA Legal LLP appeared for accused Jay Joshi in the Mithi River desilting matter and argued before the court that he is an independent investor and infra-equipment provider who legally imported and owns the machines. These were leased to various contractors as per private agreements, without any direct payment or contractual engagement with MCGM. These machines were not leased to MCGM. There is no financial gain or wrongful benefit to Joshi from MCGM or anybody else. As per the allegations, the actual tender beneficiaries — the contractors — and the officials who are allegedly responsible for the tender irregularities remain untouched and not even investigated. “Our client, who is a third-party private vendor who supplied machines on rent, is being made a scapegoat and dragged into this alleged scam when he is not even remotely associated with MCGM. Thus, his continued detention is wholly unwarranted,” Adv. Shroff said. Hearing the arguments, the court rejected the prosecution’s application for further police custody and granted judicial custody. The FIR alleges that all accused acted in collusion to defraud the BMC of Rs 65 crore and further investigations are underway.
13 May,2025 11:01 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA 22-year-old man was detained by the Colaba Police in Mumbai on Monday for flying a drone without police permission near the Taj Hotel in south Mumbai, an official said. The man is a native of Andhra Pradesh, police said. The drone was first spotted by the Quick Response Team (QRT) while they were on patrol duty. Upon spotting it, the team traced the signal to a vehicle parked near a jetty close to the Gateway of India. Inside the vehicle was the man operating the drone with a remote controller. He was flying the drone in the Taj Hotel area, unaware that it is a sensitive zone designated by the Mumbai Police for security reasons. He was allegedly unaware that special permission was required to fly drones in the area, officials said. His drone—a grey DJI Air 3S—and its remote controller, valued at around Rs 70,000, were seized by the police. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) declared Mumbai a ‘Red Zone’, completely prohibiting the operation of drones in the city. The restriction, which will remain in force till June 3, includes all types of drones and similar equipment such as remote-controlled microlight aircraft, paragliders, hang gliders, and hot air balloons.
13 May,2025 09:09 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerMumbai Police on Tuesday said that it has issued a preventive order, prohibiting flying of drones or any other aerial activities. Earlier, the Powai Police registered an FIR against a 23-year-old cinematographer for flying a drone in the area. The cinematographer was booked by the Powai police on Sunday night. According to the Mumbai Police, the order was issued as part of the safety measure for the citizens. It prohibits the use of drones in the city. The order, issued on May 3, bans drone activity from May 5 to June 3. It states the prohibition of the use of drones, remote-controlled microlight aircraft, paragliders, paramotors, hang gliders, hot air balloons, and all similar aerial activities. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has declared Mumbai a red zone for flying drones. The Mumbai Police have requested citizens not to use drones and warned that anyone found doing so will be booked. The police requested the citizens to report drone usage by calling the police helpline at 100 or 112 if they witness anyone violating the ban.
13 May,2025 07:48 PM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaADVERTISEMENT
