The Mumbai Division of Western Railway on Sunday said that its railway cops have busted an alleged 'posters gang' active in Mumbai local trains and seized 42,000 stickers from them. According to the officials, the gang was allegedly involved in sticking posters inside local trains. The action was taken based on a tip-off received by the police, leading to the arrest of the alleged gang leader and four accomplices, they said. "A special team formed by the Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, Mumbai Division, Western Railway carried out the operation," officials said. Team of cops busted the gang The team was led by Sub-Inspector Santosh Soni and included Assistant Sub-Inspector Vivekanand Mali, Head Constables Ravindra Gayakar and Pushpendra, and Constables Priyadarshan, Arjun Singh, Hemant, and Pradeep Faujdar, the officials said. According to the officials, the team received information from a confidential informer and raided Laxmi Nagar in Kashimira, Mumbai. They prime suspect, identified as Baba Riaz Chaudhary (also known as Akram Baba), along with Salim Baba (also known as Sallu). Three other accomplices — Irshad Chauhan, Mohammad Shoaib, and Mohammad Shakir — were also detained, the officials said. 42,000 posters seized The team seized a total of 42,000 posters from the group, which were being used to stick inside local trains. The seized posters were documented in a seizure report and handed over to Bhayandar Police Station for further investigation and legal action.
25 January,2026 10:30 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarMumbai Police on Sunday said that it has seized 384 e-cigarettes and 2,880 pods worth Rs 42 lakh in Kalbadevi's Chira Bazaar and arrested one person in connection with the matter. According to the police, the operation was conducted by the Property Cell of the Mumbai Police's Crime Branch. During the operation, the Property Cell seized a large quantity of prohibited JUUL e-cigarettes in the Chira Bazaar area. "The operation took place near the Chira Bazaar bus stop on J.S.S. Road," said an official. The police said that during a routine patrol, police officers stopped a suspicious person and conducted a search. The searches revealed 384 JUUL devices (e-cigarettes) worth Rs 23,04,000, JUUL pods worth Rs 18,00,000, one black e-bike worth Rs 1,00,000, an official said. "The total value of the seized items is Rs 42,04,000," the official said. Action under prohibition law Following the seizure, the police registered a case under The Prohibition of e-cigarettes Act, 2019. The case has been filed at LT Marg Police Station under sections 3, 4 and 7 of the Act. The investigation is ongoing by the Property Cell, Crime Branch, Mumbai. Police credit leadership and team The successful operation was carried out under the guidance of senior Mumbai Police officials and the team that made the seizures was led by Raj Tilak Raushan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch (Detection), along with Sadanand Rane, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch. The key officers involved in the operation included Police Inspector Mangesh Desai, Police Inspector Dada Gaikwad, Senior Police Inspector Prataprao Bandgar, Police Constable Tushar Sawant, Police Constable Vinod Padman, Police Constable Tambe, Police Sub-Inspector Kolekar, Police Sub-Inspector Gadhve, Police Constable Babar, Police Constable Burde, officials said. DRI Mumbai foils courier gold smuggling, seizes Rs 2.89 crore Meanwhile, in a significant breakthrough against organised gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, foiled a novel attempt to illegally import gold into the country through an international courier channel. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers seized 1.815 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at approximately Rs 2.89 crore from a courier consignment that arrived at the International Courier Terminal (ICT), Mumbai, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. According to officials, the consignment was declared as a household appliance and contained a meat-grinding machine. However, a detailed examination of the parcel raised suspicion, prompting DRI officers to carry out a thorough inspection. Upon dismantling the meat grinder and breaking open its internal gear mechanism, officers recovered 32 cut pieces of gold of varying sizes that had been ingeniously concealed within the gear assembly. The concealment method was designed to evade conventional scanning and detection processes at courier terminals. The total quantity of gold recovered weighed 1,815 grams.
25 January,2026 05:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMalvani police arrested a fraudster who would lie in wait at ATMs, posing as a helpful passer-by when he saw customers struggling. He would offer to assist them, but would end up helping himself to their money after swapping their ATM cards out with fakes. The accused, Mohammad Irfan Abbas Ansari, 31, was arrested from Jaunpur district in Uttar Pradesh. According to investigators, Ansari has over 10 criminal cases registered against him across Mumbai, the Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar region, and other nearby cities. They said he was earlier employed in a film production house. However, after he stopped getting regular work, he reportedly came in contact with a gang involved in ATM fraud and learnt their tricks. He then allegedly began committing the crimes on his own. An officer told mid-day, “The accused carried out multiple offences in the Malvani area. On December 9, at an HDFC Bank ATM, he swapped a woman’s ATM card and withdrew Rs 51,000 from her account. In another case from the same month, he allegedly cheated another complainant of Rs 90,000.”
25 January,2026 08:37 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanActor Nadeem Khan, who was most recently seen in the film Dhurandhar, has been arrested on charges of repeatedly raping his domestic worker for nearly 10 years under the false promise of marriage. Khan played the character of Akhlak, who serves as the dacoit Rahman’s cook in Dhurandhar. Malvani police confirmed that the accused was arrested on Thursday and is currently in police custody. According to police sources, the complainant is a 41-year-old domestic worker who had worked at various actors’ homes before coming into contact with Khan years ago. A still from Dhurandar. Pic/Instgram@nadeemactor In her statement to the police, the woman said she came into contact with Khan in 2015. Over time, they became close. The accused allegedly promised to marry her and, on that assurance, repeatedly had physical relations with her at her residence. She further alleged that for the past 10 years, she continued to maintain a physical relationship with him, both at her home and at his residence in Versova, believing that he would eventually marry her. However, when he later refused to marry her, she approached Versova police and lodged a complaint in early January. “Since the alleged physical relationship took place for the first time at the complainant’s house within the jurisdiction of Malvani police, and the victim resides in that area, Versova Police transferred the case on zero FIR to Malvani police,” said an officer.
25 January,2026 07:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Mumbai Police on Saturday arrested three persons in connection with a housebreaking and theft case at a cloth shop in Dadar East and recovered cash worth Rs 97,000. According to the first information report (FIR) registered at Bhoiwada Police Station, the shop owner stated that the burglary took place between 7.30 pm on January 12 and 9 am on January 13 at Vivekanand Mansion on BJ Devrukhkar Road. Unknown persons allegedly broke open the shop’s shutter and decamped with 170 notes of Rs 500 denomination (Rs 85,000), 50 notes of Rs 200 denomination (Rs 10,000), and 20 notes of Rs 100 denomination (Rs 2,000), taking the total stolen amount to Rs 97,000. Based on police inputs, crime detection officers traced the suspects to the Kashimira area in Mira Road near Mumbai. Acting on specific information, police laid a trap with the help of informants and arrested the accused — Barakat Shaikhulla Sheikh (20), Ismail Aslam Shah (25), and Arbaz Ismail Shah (25). Mumbai Police probing if accused are involved in more cases Police said the trio, who work as garage labourers, are also booked in cases registered at VP Road Police Station in Girgaon and Matunga Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Officers said further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused are involved in other similar offences in the city.
24 January,2026 09:43 PM IST | MumbaiThe Railway Protection Force (RPF), in coordination with the Government Railway Police (GRP) Borivali and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), arrested an alleged 32-year-old drug courier and recovered narcotics worth over Rs 2.19 crore from the Mumbai-Amritsar Golden Temple Express. The accused, identified as Lalfakmawaia, is a resident of Hnahthial in Mizoram’s Lunglei district. He was detained from the air-conditioned (AC) coach B4 of train 12904 when it arrived at Borivali station in Mumbai around 11 pm on Thursday. The arrest followed specific intelligence shared by NCB officers. During a search, officers recovered 436 grams of cocaine concealed inside dog food packets, along with other narcotics from the accused’s backpack and trolley bag. During interrogation, Lalfakmawaia claimed he works as a domestic help and currently lives in Delhi with his sister. He alleged that a Nigerian woman known to his sister had given him the packet, asking him to deliver it in Mumbai, and promised Rs 3,000 and travel expenses for the task. Accused already wanted in Bengaluru NDPS case The officers recovered 436 grams of cocaine worth Rs 2.18 crore, 19 grams of Yaba (methamphetamine) worth Rs 1.5 lakh, 640 grams of Codeine-based cough syrup worth Rs 7,500, and 8 grams of Alprazolam tablets worth Rs 3,200. The total value of the narcotics is worth Rs 2,19,60,700. Further probe revealed that Lalfakmawaia is already wanted in an earlier Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act case registered by NCB’s Bengaluru Unit this year. He was produced before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Borivali, which granted transit remand. Lalfakmawaia was later handed over to NCB and taken to Bengaluru for further investigation. Officers suspect the involvement of an interstate and international drug syndicate, and further probe is underway.
24 January,2026 08:43 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Matunga Police in Mumbai have arrested a 33-year-old alleged habitual housebreaker in connection with a burglary reported earlier this month, recovering stolen gold jewellery during the operation. According to the police, the burglary took place between 4.30 pm on January 6 and 7 am on January 7 at a residential house in the Matunga area. The accused, identified as Suruddin Tajuddin Sheikh, allegedly broke open the wooden latches of the locked doors, gained entry into the house, and decamped with a gold chain weighing about two tolas, valued at approximately Rs 50,000, along with Rs 20,000 in cash. The total value of the stolen property was estimated at Rs 70,000. A case was registered at Matunga Police Station under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. During investigation, the police analysed technical inputs and acted on information received from informants, leading to the arrest of the accused from the Mumbai area. The stolen gold chain was recovered from his possession and seized. Accused confessed to involvement in multiple housebreaking cases, say Mumbai Police During interrogation, the accused confessed to his involvement in multiple housebreaking cases registered in Zone 4, including at RAK Police Station in Sewri and Bhoiwada Police Station in Dadar East. Police records revealed that the accused has a criminal history of 18 housebreaking cases registered across Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai. Police said the operation was carried out under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanarayan, Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region) Vikram Deshmane, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Ragsudha R, and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Matunga Division) Sachin Kadam. The investigation team was led by Senior Police Inspector Dadsaheb Ghutukade and included sub-inspectors Pratibha Jogalekar and Vinod Patil, and supporting police personnel. Further investigation in the case is being conducted by Patil.
24 January,2026 07:51 PM IST | MumbaiThe anti-narcotics cell (ANC) of Mumbai Crime Branch on Saturday detained a 44-year-old alleged drug trafficker under the stringent Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act, 1988. The accused, Shamsuddin Mohammed Sheikh alias Ajju, has been detained for a year and lodged at Amravati Central Jail, following approval from the home department of the Maharashtra government. According to police, the Kandivali Unit of ANC had registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, for his alleged involvement in the trafficking of MD (mephedrone). Sheikh is a habitual offender actively, engaged in the narcotics trade, a statement released by the police said. Records show that Sheikh is involved in 13 criminal cases, including five under the NDPS Act and eight cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A charge sheet has already been filed against him and the trial is pending before a court. He was earlier lodged as an undertrial prisoner at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai. Following the approval of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic (PIT)-NDPS detention order, he was taken into custody and lodged at Amravati Central Jail on Saturday. Police said there was a strong likelihood that he would resume drug trafficking activities if released, prompting preventive detention under PIT-NDPS Act. Acting on behalf of the Mumbai Police Commissioner, the Kandivali ANC submitted a proposal to the detaining authority and principal secretary (special) of the home department, seeking Sheikh’s detention. The proposal was subsequently approved, leading to the execution of the detention order. Accused has a history of violent and drug-related offences, say Mumbai Police Sheikh’s criminal history includes serious offences registered at Dindoshi, Oshiwara, and other police stations, ranging from violent crimes and property offences to multiple cases under the NDPS Act between 2001 and 2025, indicating sustained involvement in criminal and narcotics-related activities, the police said in a press release. The operation was carried out under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam, and Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shailesh Balkawade. The action was supervised by Deputy Commissioner of Police (ANC) Navnath Dhawale and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ANC) Sudhir Hirdekar, while the field operation was led by Senior Inspector Shashikant Jagdale, along with a team from ANC and the crime prevention branch. Police said the detention reflects their continued focus on curbing repeat offenders involved in narcotics trafficking in the city.
24 January,2026 03:40 PM IST | MumbaiFresh legal clearance from Senegalese authorities has paved the way for Mumbai Police to finally arrest alleged underworld gangster Ravi Pujari in a long-pending extortion case linked to a stalled Bollywood film, officials said. Although Pujari was extradited to India from Senegal in 2021, the extradition was initially restricted to specific cases (in Karnataka), and only 10 cases in Mumbai, due to technical and legal limitations imposed by Senegalese courts. Although the Mumbai Police arrested Pujari following his extradition, they were unable to take him into custody for other serious offences registered against him in the city, including extortion matters connected to the film industry. Senior officials from the Mumbai Police said that at the time of extradition, Senegalese authorities had granted permission to proceed legally against Pujari in 10 cases in Mumbai where strong evidence had been presented. However, other cases — including an extortion complaint filed by the wife of a noted choreographer-director — remained pending due to the absence of formal approval. That situation changed last year in September, when the Mumbai Crime Branch received fresh clearance from Senegalese authorities to initiate legal action in nine additional cases registered against Pujari. The extortion case linked to the stalled film was among the newly approved matters, enabling investigators to move court for a production warrant and formally arrest Pujari in the case earlier this month. They received legal clearance to proceed against Pujari in 19 cases registered in the city. Pujari, 56, was subsequently arrested by the Mumbai Police Anti-Extortion Cell on January 22 after being produced before a local court. According to police records, the case stems from a 2013 production agreement between a noted choreographer-director and a film producer. The project was budgeted at R5 crore, with the producer allegedly investing R3 crore and the remaining R2 crore coming from the choreographer’s production company. As per the agreement, film rights were to vest with the latter’s firm, and profits or losses were to be shared equally. Police said that although a major portion of the film was completed — including choreography expenses of about R1 crore borne by the choreographer’s company — creative and commercial differences surfaced during post-production. Investigators allege that from 2015 onwards, the producer repeatedly pressured the choreographer and his wife to release the film. The situation allegedly escalated into intimidation, including visits to their office, repeated phone calls, and the alleged circulation of images of firearms on WhatsApp. Between October 2016 and February 2018, Pujari and his associate allegedly issued threats through multiple international phone numbers, demanding R50 lakh to “settle” the dispute, police said. Audio recordings of some of these alleged calls are part of the case diary. With Senegal now clearing legal action in additional cases, police say Pujari’s arrest marks a significant step in closing several long-pending investigations. Further probe is underway to examine his alleged financial links, call records and whether provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) may be invoked again. 2021Year Pujari was extradited from Senegal Rs 50LAmount Pujari demanded to settle film dispute
24 January,2026 08:36 AM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilA 35-year-old man from Kanjurmarg East was duped by a “foreign expert” in a fake stock market trading scam, losing Rs 11 lakh. Police said that the fraudster allegedly used the name Brian A Christiansen to project credibility to lure the victim into a bogus investment scheme. According to the police, the victim was first contacted on January 8 and added to a WhatsApp group titled “F40 Stock Market Strategy Exchange Group”, which had around 140 members. The group was administered by accounts using the names Dinesh Singh and Gurram Madhavi, along with another international number starting with +44, a dialling code belonging to the United Kingdom. According to the victim, the members in the group regularly posted screenshots of supposed trading profits to build trust. Soon after, the victim was contacted by a profile using the name Christiansen, who sent the victim a registration link and persuaded to download a mobile application — SANDS INV APP, where his investments appeared to generate attractive returns. The app even displayed notional profits of around Rs 8 lakh, making the scheme appear genuine. Trusting the claims, the victim transferred Rs 4 lakh on January 13 and Rs 7 lakh on January 16 to bank accounts provided by the accused. The fraud unravelled when the accused demanded an additional Rs 47 lakh, claiming it was necessary to enable withdrawal of the displayed profits. Realising he had been cheated, the victim first reported the matter on the national cybercrime helpline 1930 on January 21, and then approached the cyber police, leading to registration of the FIR at the cyber police of the east region. Police are now analysing bank trails, mobile numbers and digital evidence to trace the accused. To report cyber fraud call 1930 or log on to www.cybercrime.gov.in Do>> Verify investment advisors through SEBI’s official website >> Be cautious of unsolicited WhatsApp/Telegram stock tip groups>> Use only registered, well-known trading platforms>> Enable transaction alerts and regularly monitor bank statements>> Report fraud immediately to increase chances of fund freezing Don't>> Do not trust “guaranteed returns” or pressure tactics>> Do not download unknown apps via shared links>> Do not share OTPs, banking details, or KYC documents>> Do not send money to personal accounts for investment purposes
24 January,2026 08:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerWhat criminals tried to erase with grease was revealed by paper. A torn poster on an autorickshaw became the key clue that helped police bust a chain-snatching gang operating in north Mumbai. The MHB Colony police have arrested two men in connection with the January 21 chain-snatching incident in IC Colony, Borivali West, where a senior citizen was targeted while walking to a temple. The accused allegedly snatched a gold chain from the woman’s neck and fled within seconds in an autorickshaw. To execute the crime, the main accused used an autorickshaw belonging to his friend. In an attempt to evade detection through CCTV cameras, the duo smeared grease over the vehicle’s number plate to conceal the registration number. The autorickshaw identified by police during the probe, which was used by the accused However, a small detail they overlooked ultimately led to their arrest. While scanning footage, police noticed a partially torn poster pasted on the back of the autorickshaw. The distinctive tear helped them trace the vehicle’s movement, leading them to identify the suspects. The arrested men were identified as Sanjeev Murlidhar Gupta, 43, a resident of Dnyaneshwar Nagar, Dahisar East, and Raj Narayan Chhotelal Sharma, 35, an autorickshaw driver from the same locality. Sanjeev Murlidhar Gupta; (right) Raj Narayan Chhotelal Sharma, the autorickshaw driver arrested in the chain snatching case The complainant, Vasanti Ramakrishnan Iyer, 70, was attacked around 7.40 pm on January 21 while entering Jaigurudev Bhavan Cooperative Housing Society near the Ayyappa Temple in IC Colony, Borivali West. The accused allegedly snatched her gold mangalsutra weighing about 25 grams, valued at nearly Rs 1 lakh, and fled in the waiting autorickshaw. Two days earlier, on January 19, another chain-snatching incident was reported in the Charkop police jurisdiction, where two men on a motorcycle robbed a 44-year-old of gold chains weighing nearly 40 grams. With two cases reported within 48 hours, panic spread across Zone XI. In response, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sandeep Jadhav formed special detection teams drawn from Malad, Kandivali, Charkop, MHB Colony and Goregaon police stations. According to police, CCTV footage captured the autorickshaw involved, though the registration number was obscured. Officers analysed multiple camera feeds and used technical and mobile tracking to identify the driver, who later revealed the identity of the main accused, Gupta. Both the accused in police custody. Pics/By Special Arrangement Gupta was arrested from a parking area near a paan shop in Borivali, where he was working as a valet. Police said he had been arrested in a similar case in November last year and was recently released on bail. Police said Gupta followed the victim on foot while the autorickshaw moved alongside. After stopping ahead, he snatched the chain and escaped in the vehicle. Though grease was smeared on the number plate, the torn poster on the autorickshaw exposed the gang. Police later confirmed that the Charkop case involved different accused, who have since been identified. Teams have been dispatched to arrest them. The accused were produced before the court and remanded to police custody. Recovery of the stolen gold is underway, and the autorickshaw used in the crime has been seized.
24 January,2026 07:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanADVERTISEMENT
