Police have arrested an absconding accused in a five-year-old case of attempt to murder in Maharashtra's Palghar district, officials said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. The incident occurred in the Waliv area here on May 22, 2020, following a dispute, they said. The accused, Akash Harilal Yadav (31), and some other persons allegedly assaulted two men with sticks, leaving them with serious head injuries. The accused and his mother also allegedly threatened a local businessman with dire consequences, a police release said, reported PTI. Based on the businessman's complaint, the Waliv police then registered a case under various Indian Penal Code sections, including attempt to murder and criminal intimidation, reported PTI. However, Yadav had been absconding since the incident. After an extensive probe, the police on Sunday traced Yadav to the Vasai area and arrested him, the release said. Police crack murder case in 12 hours; three held In another case, the police arrested three individuals, including a woman, within 12 hours of the brutal murder of a 37-year-old man in Thane district of Maharashtra, officials said on Monday, reported PTI. The victim, Narendra alias Kalia Jadhav, was stabbed with sickles and knives, inflicting 40 injuries on him, on Saturday night in Dombivli area, police said. "We have arrested two men and a woman, identified as Akash Birajdar (29), Diwakar Gupta (18), and Taruni Alifa Sheikh (18), within twelve hours in connection with the murder in the Diva area," said Ramnagar police station senior inspector Ganesh Javadwad, reported PTI. He said the previous enmity between Jadhav and Birajdar triggered the fatal attack. The victim's friend, Shubham Pandey, was injured when he tried to intervene. Police registered an FIR under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita for murder and attempt to murder, and under the provisions of the Arms Act. The arrested accused were remanded to police custody till December 18. Man held for beating wife to death in Palghar Meanwhile, police have arrested a 32-year-old man for allegedly beating his wife to death following a domestic quarrel in Maharashtra's Palghar district, an official said on Sunday, reported PTI. The couple, who lived at Gomghar village in Mokhada taluka, had frequent fights over domestic issues. They again had a quarrel in the wee hours of Saturday, following which the accused, Balwant Gare, allegedly beat his wife Lata Balwant Gare to death with a wooden log, an official from Mokhada police station said, quoting a complaint by the victim's father, reported PTI. Based on the complaint, the accused was arrested and booked under section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the official said. (With inputs from PTI)
16 December,2025 12:12 PM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondentPolice have registered a case against four Mumbai-based traders for allegedly cheating a textile businessman from Maharashtra's Thane district of Rs 35 lakh, officials said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. The accused purchased consignments of grey (unprocessed) cloth from the 42-year-old victim, a resident of Gayatri Nagar in Bhiwandi town, between June and November this year, reported PTI. However, instead of clearing the dues, they allegedly sold the material to third parties and continued to evade payment, an official from Bhiwandi Town police station said. When the victim demanded payment, the accused stopped responding to his calls and later shut down their office and absconded, he said, reported PTI. Based on the victim's complaint, the police registered a case on Sunday against the four accused under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the official said. Man held in Mumbai for duping people by promising them cheaper MHADA flats In another incident, the police have arrested a 53-year-old man in Mumbai for cheating people by promising them flats of the state-run housing agency MHADA at rates cheaper than market prices, officials said on Thursday. The accused was identified as Jitendra Sukhlal Rathod, who was nabbed by a team of the police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Wednesday from the Chembur area, an official said. During the probe, it was revealed that at least eight cases of cheating and forgery were registered against Rathod in various police stations since 2022. Earlier, the EOW had arrested a 48-year-old woman, Bela D'Souza, in connection with the cheating case. A 58-year-old woman, who stays in the Mazgaon area, had filed a complaint against D'Souza and others for duping her of Rs 70 lakh by promising a MHADA flat at a cheaper price. During the probe, it came to light that the accused persons, including Rathod, had duped many others by promising cheaper flats, he 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, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
16 December,2025 12:01 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA 30-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posing as a “doctor uncle” and sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl in Chembur. The incident occurred on Sunday (December 14) near a local medical shop, where the child was playing near her residence. The accused, Karan Adsule, 30, approached the victim, claiming he needed to conduct a routine check-up. Trusting him, the girl complied, after which the offence took place. After the girl told her family, a complaint was filed, and the Nehru Nagar police registered a case under laws protecting minors. Adsule, a Kurla resident, was arrested from the spot around 9.30 am the same day. Verification proved he had no medical licence and falsely posed as a doctor to gain the child’s confidence. “There is no CCTV coverage in the immediate area, which limits visual evidence. However, statements of the victim, family members, and residents are being recorded to establish the exact sequence of events,” a police officer said. The victim has been provided with medical care and counselling support in line with child protection protocols. Police said the child’s identity is being protected as per legal guidelines. Investigators are checking whether the accused has a prior criminal record or was involved in similar incidents earlier. The police urge parents to caution children against strangers. The probe is ongoing.
16 December,2025 07:57 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentTwo 19-year-old students returning back home from their college were on Monday killed after their bike lost balance allegedly due to overspeeding in Borivali area of Mumbai, police said. The accident took place on Monday afternoon at the Sudhir Phadke Bridge in Borivali, officials said. Both were college students According to the primary information, the deceased have been identified as Jenil Thumar (19) and Mehak Nirman (19). Both were college students and were returning to their homes in Mira Road from college, police officials said. They said that while travelling towards the Western Express Highway on the Sudhir Phadke Bridge, the motorcycle they were riding lost balance at a curve due to overspeeding. Bike rammed into bridge’s boundary wall The bike rammed into the bridge’s boundary wall, causing both riders to be thrown onto the other side of the road. They then came under a private bus passing by, leading to their death on the spot, an official said. The Kasturba Marg police are investigating the matter. Senior Inspector Jairaj Ranaware confirmed the incident and said further investigation is underway.
15 December,2025 09:50 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA mobile phone theft in Mumbai's Kandivali area escalated into a violent altercation on Sunday night. When the police attempted to take the accused into custody, his family members intervened, leading to a scuffle with cops. Five people have been arrested following the incident. According to police sources, the incident occurred near Ektanagar. Upon receiving information about a quarrel and physical assault triggered by a mobile phone theft, the Kandivali Police team rushed to the spot. While the police were separating the fighting parties and attempting to take the accused into custody by placing them in a police van, the family members of the accused allegedly got into an argument with the cops and resorted to scuffling and obstruction of duty. Based on the incident, the police have registered cases under serious offences against more than five persons and have arrested five others. Case details The police said that two people, identified as Nitesh and Eliya, allegedly attempted to snatch the mobile phone of Anil Yadav. Yadav informed his relative Shivam, who then went to confront Nitesh along with his friends, Dashrath Kanojia and Bhim Kanojia. During the confrontation, a fight broke out involving Pappu Jha, Vicky Singh, and Nitesh. When the police intervened and asked those involved to accompany them to the police station, Jha, along with his father Chandrakant, mother Suman, brother Guddu, and Singh, allegedly created a ruckus, obstructed police personnel, and resisted official action. The police have registered cases in connection with the incident and arrested five accused in the case. Efforts are ongoing to trace and arrest Jha’s parents and brother, the police said. The arrested accused were produced before the Borivali Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Monday, and all of them were remanded in police custody.
15 December,2025 07:30 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanMumbai Police have arrested members of a habitual inter-state gang for allegedly cheating a Malad resident of Rs 25 lakh by falsely claiming to have unearthed gold ornaments during excavation work and selling him counterfeit jewellery, an official said. The case has been registered at Malad Police Station under Crime Register No. 883/25, invoking Sections 316(2), 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to the police, the complainant, Dinesh Mehta (51), a resident of Ankur Building in Somwar Bazaar, Malad (West), was approached by the main accused, Baboolal Bhalaram Waghela (55), between November 26 and December 4, 2025. The accused allegedly initiated contact by conversing in Rajasthani and gradually gained the complainant’s confidence. Waghela claimed that gold ornaments weighing around 900 grams had been discovered during excavation work behind a temple in Nashik. He offered either to sell the ornaments on Mehta’s behalf or to sell them directly to him. To establish credibility, the accused reportedly showed the ornaments and provided a few yellow-metal beads as samples, which tested positive for gold. Trusting the claim, Mehta allegedly paid Rs 25 lakh in cash and took possession of the jewellery. However, when the ornaments were later examined by a goldsmith, they were found to be fake. The complainant then approached the police, following which an FIR was registered on December 5, 2025. The investigation: During the investigation, the Crime Detection Team of Malad Police collected CCTV footage from the crime scene and surrounding areas, including Kandivali East, and analysed technical data such as call detail records and mobile dump data. Although the CCTV visuals were unclear, police said the accused were traced based on body structure, gait analysis and technical inputs after examining footage from over 100 government and private cameras over three consecutive days. The probe led to the identification of five accused. Two were traced to Gandhinagar in Gujarat and two to Virar East in Palghar district. The prime accused, Waghela, was first arrested from his residence in Kalol, Gandhinagar district. A search of his house led to the seizure of Rs 15.45 lakh in cash, believed to be part of the cheated amount, and a mobile phone allegedly used in the crime. During interrogation, Waghela disclosed the involvement of his wife, Kokubai Baboolal Waghela (50). She has been served a notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and directed to appear before the police. After securing transit remand from a court in Kalol, the accused was brought to Mumbai and produced before a holiday court in Borivali. Subsequently, the remaining three accused—Manglaram Manaram Wagri (34), Kesararam Bhagtaram Wagri (41) and Bhavarlal Baboolal Wagri (48)—were arrested from Virar East. Police said all three are engaged in photo-frame making, and their role in the offence was confirmed during interrogation. Investigators said all the accused are originally from Rajasthan’s Jalore district and are part of a gang that travels across states to commit similar offences. Police also revealed that Waghela has previous cheating cases registered against him at the Kalol Taluka Police Station and Sabarmati Police Station in Gujarat. Another accused, identified as Govind and aged around 30, is currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace him. While Rs 15.45 lakh has been recovered so far, police said recovery of the remaining amount and other property is in progress. The investigation is being conducted by Assistant Police Inspectors Abhijit Kale and Deepak Raivade under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector Dushyant Chavan of Malad Police Station.
15 December,2025 07:29 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) Unit-1 of the Mira-Bhayandar–Vasai-Virar (MBVV) Police in Maharashtra on Monday said that it has busted a mephedrone manufacturing unit in Rajasthan and has seized drugs and raw materials worth Rs 100 crore. The mephedrone also called as MD manufacturing factory was busted in Jhunjhunu area of Rajasthan. The cops also seized precursor chemicals and equipment worth an estimated Rs 100 crore, said an official. Initial seizure in Maharashtra The operation began on October 4, 2025, when officers of ANC Unit-1 were on patrol duty. Acting on suspicion, they searched six individuals and recovered 509.6 grams of MD drugs worth Rs 1,00,32,000, six mobile phones worth Rs 1,88,000 and four motorcycles worth Rs 4,10,000. A case was registered at Kashigaon Police Station under the NDPS Act Sections 8(c), 22(c) and 29. Further investigation was taken over by ANC Unit-1. More arrests and seizures during probe During the course of investigation, the police arrested four more accused connected to the drug racket. The following items were seized from them. It included two four-wheelers and one motorcycle worth Rs 20 lakh, and six mobile phones worth Rs 2.05 lakh, officials said. Factory traced to Rajasthan While searching for absconding accused, the police received specific information and dispatched a team to Rajasthan. On November 19, 2025, the team located a drug manufacturing factory in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, and arrested Anil Vijaypal Sihag. Massive Drug Haul Recovered From the factory premises, the police recovered and around 10 kilograms of MD drugs, precursor chemicals used to manufacture MD, drug-making equipment including flasks, mixers, dryer machines, weighing scales, gloves and filters and the total value of the seized material is estimated at Rs 100 crore. The operation was carried out under the guidance of Niket Kaushik, Police Commissioner, Dattatray Shinde, Additional Police Commissioner, Sandeep Doiphode, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), Madan Ballal, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime Detection). "The action was executed by officers and staff of Anti-Narcotics Cell Unit-1 and Unit-2, along with support from the Cyber Police Station. Police said further investigation into the interstate drug network is ongoing.
15 December,2025 06:42 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanKurar Police in Mumbai’ Malad East arrested a 45-year-old man within 12 hours of registering a case of rape and criminal intimidation, officers said. According to the police, the case was registered on December 13 at 9.14 am under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused has been identified as Mahesh Ramesh Pawar, a resident of Virar West in Palghar district. According to the complainant, the accused allegedly drugged her by mixing a sedative in a cold drink around 15 years ago and raping her. Pawar also allegedly recorded a video of the act. The police said that the complainant later discovered, through a WhatsApp group for persons with disabilities, that the accused had committed similar acts against five to six other women. After discussing the matter with her husband, she approached the police and lodged a formal complaint, following which her statement was recorded and the case was registered. During investigation, the police traced the accused using mobile phone location data, laid a trap and arrested him following a technical and physical search operation. The operation was carried out under the guidance of Senior Inspector Sanjeev Tawde of Kurar Police Station. The investigation team included Assistant Inspector Sanjay Gholve, Sub-inspector Somnath Jadhav, and police personnel Baban Rathod, Shrikant Gore, Bala Vairal, and Santosh Fadtare, and Head Constable Bhogle of Dindoshi Police Station. Further investigation is underway.
15 December,2025 03:32 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanIn a major breakthrough in the Rs 2-crore fake cop robbery case in Girgaon, the Mumbai Crime Branch, which was conducting a parallel investigation, has detained the key accused in the case, even as a search for his associate is underway, police said. The incident occurred on Friday around 6.10 pm near Laheri Building at the Fourth Khetwadi corner on SVP Road, when two men posing as crime branch officers allegedly robbed Rs 2 crore in cash from a 65-year-old construction firm manager. According to the police, the complainant – Iqbal Musa Machat, a Bandra (West) resident who works as manager and treasurer with YM Infra – had collected the cash from a courier office at Opera House along with his colleague Shahbaz Khan. They were travelling on a motorcycle towards the Panjarapole area of Girgaon when the accused intercepted them. The police said that the suspects – wearing khaki trousers, sunglasses, and clothes resembling police attire – introduced themselves as crime branch officers. They allegedly threatened the victims, pretended to record a video on a mobile phone, and convinced them that they were genuine policemen. Taking advantage of the situation, the accused allegedly snatched a black bag containing Rs 2 crore in cash. They also took three mobile phones from the victims as well as the motorcycle key before fleeing the spot and allegedly instructing the duo to report to the crime branch office. Following the robbery, a case was registered at VP Road Police Station against unknown persons for robbery, cheating and impersonation of police personnel. While the local police began the probe, the Crime Branch simultaneously launched a parallel investigation, analysing CCTV footage and technical data, which helped identify the suspects. Police said the key accused, a resident of the Konkan region, has been detained by the Crime Branch. During questioning, he allegedly revealed that the robbery was committed due to mounting financial liabilities, which he cited as the primary motive behind the crime. Investigators said he was acting on instructions from another man, identified as Pillai, who is believed to be the second key accused. “Based on technical analysis and CCTV footage, we have detained the key accused. The robbery was allegedly committed due to financial liabilities. The second accused, who played a crucial role in planning the offence, is currently absconding,” a police source said. Police teams have been deployed to trace the remaining accused and to recover the stolen cash. Further investigation is underway.
14 December,2025 10:28 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilIn a tragic hit-and-run incident, two youth were killed after their scooter was allegedly hit by an unidentified speeding vehicle near the Dahisar Metro Station Bridge along the Western Express Highway in Mumbai early on Sunday. The victims have been identified as Zahir Amlani (28), a resident of Mira Road (East), Thane, and his friend Irshad Hussain (age unknown), both employed with a private company in Bangur Nagar in Malad (West). According to Dahisar Police sources, the complaint in the case is Amlani’s mother Nazmin (48). She told the police that her son had left for work at around 11 am on Saturday and was expected to return home by 9 pm. When he failed to return by 12.30 am, she contacted him, during which he assured her that he would leave shortly and informed her that Hussain was accompanying him. Around 3 am, Nazmin received a call from Dahisar Police, informing her that her son and his friend had met with a serious road accident near the metro station and were shifted to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali (West). Upon reaching the hospital along with her brother-in-law, the family was informed that both victims had been declared dead before admission. Police investigations revealed that around 1.40 am, Amlani and Hussain were travelling home on a scooter when an unknown vehicle, allegedly being driven at a high speed and in a rash and negligent manner, hit the two-wheeler on the northbound carriageway of Western Express Highway near the Dahisar Metro Bridge. A tourist vehicle driver, Rohit Sutar (28), who was passing through the area, reportedly noticed the scooter lying on the roadside and the victims grievously injured on the highway. Suspecting that an unknown vehicle had run them over, he alerted the police control room. "The victims were rushed to Shatabdi Hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival. We have registered a case under relevant sections of BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) against an unknown vehicle driver for causing death due to rash and negligent driving and for fleeing the spot without providing medical assistance. Further investigation is underway to identify and trace the absconding driver," said an officer from Dahisar Police Station.
14 December,2025 08:22 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe sessions court in Mumbai has acquitted four people arrested for a murder in Malwani, Malad, in 2013, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish their involvement in the alleged assault of a suspected thief who later died in police custody. The incident Twelve years ago on March 5, three to four alleged thieves reportedly broke into SA Engineering, a commercial workshop inside Malwani’s Jurassic Park premises, by breaking the tin roof to commit theft. Four people, including two owners, managed to nab one of the suspects, while the others fled. The accused immediately informed the Malwani Police about the incident, following which Sub-inspector VK More dispatched a team to the spot. The detained suspected thief, later identified as Javed Hajrat Ali, was handed over to constables Ankush Bane and Ajit Jadhav and taken to the police station. Later, on the complaint of SA Engineering’s owners, Amarjeet Ramkishore Singh (56) and Vijay Singh (54), the police registered a case under sections 380 and 457, along with Section 34 of Indian Penal Code 1860 against Ali. Around 10.30 am the next day, Ali reportedly complained of abdominal pain and was shifted to Bhagwati Hospital, where doctors declared him dead before admission. Initially, Malwani Police registered an accidental death case. Post-mortem and investigation findings However, Ali’s post-mortem revealed 83 injuries, including abrasions on elbows, chest, ribs, back, and thighs. Based on the inquest findings, Sub-inspector Bhagwan Khare concluded that the accused had assaulted Ali before handing him to the police. The police then booked four accused: Singh, Vijay, and two other employees under Sections 342, 302, and 34 of IPC. All the four were arrested on March 19, 2013. As the death occurred in police custody, the joint commissioner of police (crime branch), Mumbai, transferred the investigation to Detection Crime Branch (DCB), Crime Investigation Department (CID), Unit 11. Following this, Assistant Inspector Pradeep More re-recorded the statements of the police officers and other witnesses whom Inspector MP Pandharmise had earlier examined. He also recorded new statements from a couple of more witnesses and Pandharmise. Defence’s argument Advocate Kalam Shaikh highlighted serious contradictions in the prosecution’s case. He said More testified that Javed was brought to the police station around 6 am and had no injuries except a single abrasion on his left elbow. Javed remained in police custody from 6 am to 10.30 am, during which no complaint of assault was made. The post-mortem injuries did not align with the condition observed by police officers when he was produced before them. Shaikh argued that the injuries likely occurred after the police took custody and were not inflicted by the accused. Court verdict After examining 17 witnesses and reviewing all the material evidence, the sessions court held that the prosecution had failed to establish common intention or any direct assault by the four accused. The court noted significant inconsistencies between the medical findings and the police testimonies. In its judgment on November 28, the court ruled that the prosecution had not successfully proved the charges under the relevant sections of IPC, 1860. Consequently, the accused were entitled to an acquittal. Case timeline March 5, 2013: Alleged theft committed and FIR registered May 28, 2013: Charge sheet filed in the case August 30, 2015: Charges framed in the case March 6, 2015: Evidence presented October 15, 2025: Judgment reserved November 28, 2025: Judgment delivered Total witnesses examined: 17
14 December,2025 04:45 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanADVERTISEMENT
