A 41-year-old homemaker from Borivali in Mumbai fell prey to cyber fraudsters and lost Rs 6.43 lakh. According to Mumbai Police sources, the complainant was browsing Instagram reels when she came across a link offering a part-time job that involved liking and sharing videos. Attracted by the offer, she fell into the trap of cyber fraudsters and lost Rs 6.43 lakh between November 30 and December 2. "Initially, she earned Rs 200 after liking and sharing screenshots of 20 videos. Encouraged by this, she was added to a 'VIP group' on Telegram where she was lured into investing money with promises of significant returns within hours. The complainant then invested Rs 3.07 lakh. However, when she attempted to withdraw her money, the fraudsters began demanding additional payments under various pretexts, such as taxes and fees. Trusting their claims, she transferred an additional Rs 3.36 lakh through a cheque to a bank account linked to one of the fraudsters. Despite these payments, she did not receive her money back. Realising she had been cheated, the woman approached Borivali Police, an officer said. "We have registered a case under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Information Technology (IT) Act today and are investigating it further," the officer added.
04 December,2024 10:58 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanIn a shocking incident, a man allegedly entered the shooting venue of Bollywood actor Salman Khan in central Mumbai and allegedly issued threats in the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, an official said on Wednesday. The suspect was immediately held and taken to the Shivaji Park Police Station for questioning, the official said. According to the police sources, the incident took when the suspect managed to gain access to the set where Salman Khan was scheduled to shoot. Further details in the matter are awaited. The Mumbai Police has stepped up Salman Khan's security after a firing incident that took place at the actors Bandra residence in April this year. In April, two motorcyclists had opened fire outside Salman Khan's house. They had shot four bullets outside the Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai's Bandra west, where the actor lives, before fleeing. Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, had purportedly claimed responsibility for the shooting outside his home later. Anmol, who is wanted in India and is believed to be living abroad, had referred to the firing as a "trailer" in a Facebook post. He also warned the actor in a social media post.
04 December,2024 10:40 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanThree members of a family were booked for allegedly cheating an unemployed man from Navi Mumbai of Rs 2.71 crore under the pretext of offering him a government job, police said on Wednesday, reported the PTI. According to the PTI, the accused approached the man in April 2023, claiming they could land him a job in government organisations through their contacts, an official said. They produced fabricated job offer letters and joining letters of RBI and Maharashtra Transport Department etc., bearing fake rubber stamps to win the trust of the victim. The victim ended up paying Rs 2,71,50,000 over the 16 months from April 2023 to the accused. He approached the police after he failed to get the placement and the accused refused to return his money, the official added. Police registered a case on Tuesday under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). Nobody has been arrested so far and further investigations are being conducted, the official said. Two held for cheating businessman of Rs 18 crore by illegally selling CIDCO land in Navi Mumbai Meanwhile, in an another incident, the police arrested two persons for allegedly duping a businessman of nearly Rs 18 crore by illegally selling him a land owned by the Maharashtra government's agency CIDCO in Navi Mumbai, an official said on Monday, reported the PTI. According to the PTI, the role of some officials of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and revenue department is also under the scanner for allegedly helping the accused in the crime, he said. The Navi Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Friday arrested the two accused on charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy, the official said. During the probe, the police found their property has been acquired by CIDCO, for which they received compensation, but they later allegedly forged property documents and sold the same plot to the businessman, he said, the news agency reported. The police were also searching for their associates, the PTI reported on Monday. The businessman in a police complaint filed last year claimed he was lured into investing money in the land, the official said. The complainant alleged that two other suspects, some local real estate agents and the arrested accused handed him forged NOCs (no objection certificates) and fraudulent documents of the property, he said. Search was on for a real estate agent and some others involved in the fraud, the police added, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
04 December,2024 10:27 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Bhoiwada Police in Mumbai apprehended a 37-year-old labourer for allegedly molesting a toddler in a government hospital on Wednesday. According to the police, the girl, who is around two years, had visited a government hospital in Mumbai with her parents. "When her parents were not around, an unknown man touched the girl and misbehaved with her. It was later found that the accused was a labourer working inside the hospital. He was nabbed the same night,” an officer said. After the incident came to light, the Bhoiwada Police registered a first information report (FIR) under the relevant sections of the Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act and apprehended the accused. “He does not have any criminal record. We are investigating the matter further," the officer added.
04 December,2024 09:38 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheThe Thane Police in Maharashtra have arrested a man from Bhiwandi town in Thane district for allegedly raping his teenage stepdaughter on multiple occasions, an official said on Wednesday, reported the PTI. The case against the 34-year-old accused was registered on Tuesday based on a complaint lodged by his 15-year-old stepdaughter, an official of Shanti Nagar police station said. "The accused raped the victim multiple times from 2022. Recently, when the girl's mother was away from home on November 25, he raped her again and also threatened her of dire consequences if she disclosed anything," he said, according to the PTI. The accused was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 64 (rape), 64 (2) (m) (repeated rape on same woman) and 65 (1) (rape in certain cases) and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the police said. Meeting to discuss steps to evolve safety mechanism to curb sexual crimes against school kids Meanwhile, a meeting was held in Thane district to evolve a safety mechanism to curb sexual crimes against school children. The meeting was held recently in Thane city under the direction of Thane District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) chairman and Principal District Judge Srinivas Agarwal, with DLSA secretary Ishwar Suryavanshi presiding over the session, according to the PTI. Representatives from schools, teacher associations, police department and child protection groups took part in the meeting, a release by the DLSA said. Various points related to safety of students, particularly installation of CCTV cameras in schools, police verification of staff and mandatory training for educators on children's rights and laws protecting minors, were discussed. The initiative aligns with directives from the Bombay High Court, which had formed a committee under the leadership of a retired judge to establish safety rules for schools. These rules are now expected to be implemented in schools, ensuring they are not just theoretical but practically applied, the release said. Suryavanshi said schools must maintain CCTV footage for at least a month, and stressed the importance of providing training to both staff and students, particularly on sensitive topics like 'good touch and bad touch' and cybercrime awareness. He also called for regular police supervision of educational institutions. Chief Judicial Magistrate S K Phokmare expressed concern over the rising cases of juvenile offenders involved in sexual crimes, and noted that educators play a key role in curbing it. He urged teachers to take an active role in preventing exposure to harmful content and guiding students away from potential dangers like pornography, as per the PTI. Assistant Police Commissioner Rajkumar Dongre highlighted the growing concern regarding sexual abuse in educational institutions, stating that the rising frequency of such incidents has now become a law and order issue, the PTI reported. Suryavanshi instructed the education departments to monitor the condition of schools regularly and submit reports to the DLSA regarding the implementation of these safety measures. Thane District Women and Child Welfare Officer Mahendra Gaikwad emphasized the need for continuous training sessions for both teachers and students. Two kindergarten girls were sexually assaulted by a male attendant in the washroom of their school in Badlapur in Thane district in August this year. The accused, Akshay Shinde, was shot dead by police in September while being ferried in a police vehicle. (with PTI inputs)
04 December,2024 06:53 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentFour chain-snatching incidents were reported in Mumbai over the past 36 hours. Two occurred in the MIDC area, while one each was reported in Agripada and Dindoshi. The total value of the stolen items is estimated at approximately Rs 3.65 lakh. The first incident was reported in Dindoshi, where two individuals on a motorcycle allegedly snatched a gold chain from a 45-year-old woman near Sharda International School on Datta Mandir Road, Malad East. The complainant, Geeta Pandey, a resident of Pushpak, was on a morning walk with her 71-year-old mother when the incident occurred. Around 6:30 am, the bike approached from behind, and the pillion rider allegedly grabbed the gold chain, valued at approximately ₹55,000, from her neck before fleeing the scene. Geeta Pandey promptly reported the incident to the Dindoshi police, who had registered a case against the unknown suspects and initiated an investigation. The second incident occurred on the road from Powai to Jogeshwari, near the Kalpataru Tower. Nilam Kurutdkar, a 55-year-old resident of Kuperkar Chawl in Jogeshwari East, was heading to work on walking when two individuals on a motorcycle approached from behind. They snatched her gold chain and "mangalsutra", causing her to sustain injuries in the process. The accused fled the scene immediately. Kurutdkar reported the incident to the MIDC police station, where a complaint was registered. The third incident also took place within the jurisdiction of the MIDC police station later that evening, around 8:50 pm Rekha Sharma, a 42-year-old resident of Shanti Nagar, Andheri East, was heading home when two motorcycle-borne individuals snatched her gold chain, valued at approximately Rs 1.17 lakh, near the Onida company gate. She shouted for help, but the accused escaped before anyone could react. Sharma subsequently filed a complaint at the MIDC police station. The fourth chain-snatching incident occurred near S bridge. The victim 60-year-old Anjali Kandalkar, a resident of Chameliwadi Byculla, had just helped her sister and daughter into a taxi near the "S" bridge and was walking home when the incident happened. Two individuals on a motorcycle approached from behind and forcibly snatched her gold chain, valued at approximately Rs 98,000, before fleeing the scene. The incident took place at around 4:34 pm, Kandalkar reported the incident to the Agripada police station. "We have registered a case under various sections of the IPC and are actively searching for the accused," said an officer from the Agripada police station. There have been 11 chain-snatching incidents reported in Mumbai city during the month of December. November 29Borivali November 27 and 16 Andheri November 26Kurla (detected) November 24MHB November 22 Charkop (detected) November 18Samta Nagar November 8Ville Parle November 7Nagpada November 6Kandivali (detected) November 6Antop Hill
04 December,2024 10:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanBased on specific intelligence that Mephedrone (a psychotropic substance under the NDPS Act, 1985) was being smuggled from Hyderabad to Mumbai in substantial quantities by two passengers traveling on a bus, officers set up surveillance overnight and intercepted both individuals in the early hours of December 3. A search of their baggage led to the recovery of 16 kg of a white powdered substance, believed to be Mephedrone, valued at approximately Rs 24 crore in the illicit market. Preliminary testing confirmed the substance as Mephedrone. In subsequent follow-up actions, three middlemen and receivers were apprehended in Mumbai. Additionally, Rs 1.93 crore in cash was recovered during a follow-up search. A total of 16 kg of Mephedrone and Rs 1.93 crore in cash were seized, and five individuals were arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985. "DRI celebrates its 67th founding day today. The DRI remains relentlessly committed to safeguarding our country from the menace of drug trafficking and dismantling organized crime groups," the DRI said in an official statement.
04 December,2024 09:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai on Tuesday remanded eight accused, arrested in Ajit Pawar-led NCP leader Baba Siddique murder case, in police custody till December 7, reported the PTI. Mumbai Crime Branch had last week invoked MCOCA in the case. The Mumbai Crime Branch has so far arrested 26 accused, including alleged main shooter Shivkumar Gautam, in connection with the October 12 murder of Baba Siddique. All the accused had earlier been sent to judicial custody by a magistrate court. But on November 30, the police invoked stringent provisions of the MCOCA against all these accused, following which they were produced before the special court on Tuesday, as per the PTI. The police sought the remand of eight accused, including Gautam, for further in-depth investigation into the matter. It was allowed by the special judge till December 7. The rest of the accused were sent to a 14-day jail custody by the special court. However, three individuals—Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, Zishan Akhtar, and Anmol Bishnoi—remain at large and are being actively pursued by law enforcement. Anmol Bishnoi is the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and is wanted accused in the case. Last month, the Mumbai Crime Branch had apprehended Sumit Dinkar Wagh, 26, an associate of the primary conspirator Shubham Lonkar. Sumit Dinkar Wagh, arrested in Akola, is accused of playing a pivotal role in financing the conspiracy under Lonkar’s instructions. He is a graduate of arts and has been involved in illegal betting. The investigation revealed that Wagh transferred money using a Karnataka Bank account (Petlad branch, Anand, Gujarat). Funds were sent to various accused, including Nareshkumar (brother of the arrested Gurmail Singh), Rupesh Mohol and Harishkumar, the police had earlier said. With the shooters, conspirators, and weapon suppliers already apprehended, the Crime Branch has now also been focusing on the financial aspects of the case. Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister, was shot dead on October 12 by three assailants outside his then MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office building in Bandra East. The 66-year-old political leader sustained two bullet injuries on his chest and was rushed to the Lilavati hospital in Mumbai, where he passed away. (with PTI inputs)
03 December,2024 10:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAn 18-year-old goldsmith tragically lost his life allegedly after a heavy machine fell on him in a gold factory in Zaveri Bazaar of south Mumbai, the police said on Tuesday. The incident took place on the night of December 2, an official said. The deceased, identified as Anupam Ghosh, was working in the factory when the accident occurred, the official said. According to the Lokmanya Tilak Marg (LT Marg) Police, the factory owner and four other individuals have been booked for causing death by negligence under Section 106 (Death by negligence) of the BNS. A complaint was lodged by Soumya Roy, a 23-year-old coworker of Ghosh, who is also from West Bengal, the official said. Both Ghosh and Roy had come to Mumbai in search of work and were employed in the same gold making company, a police official said. The LT Marg police said that the factory had a space allocated for its employees to rest. “At night when the incident took place a few employees were resting and one employee accidentally pushed his leg on the heavy machine. The machine then fell on Anupam Ghosh, he was taken to the hospital and the doctors, however he was declared dead after receiving the initial treatment," said an official. The police have registered an FIR against the owner of the gold making company and no arrest has been made yet, an official said. “We have registered an FIR against the owner of the company and 4 others and we are investigating the matter,” the police official said.
03 December,2024 09:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheA special NIA court in Mumbai has kept in abeyance the bailable warrant issued against former BJP Member of Parliament Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, as she is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh. The latest warrant against Thakur was issued on November 13. It was returnable on December 2, which means the former Lok Sabha MP from Bhopal had to remain present before the court for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases on the said date for getting the warrant cancelled. However, she did not appear before the court on Monday (December 2). The prosecution filed a report on the bailable warrant issued against the 54-year-old accused, a native of Madhya Pradesh. The court, after the perusal of the report, noted "bailable warrant is returned unserved" as Thakur was not found at her residential address. Upon enquiry, NIA officers, who had gone to serve the warrant, came to know that she is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, the court noted. "Hence, for time being it (bailable warrant) be kept in abeyance till further order," it added. In the past, Thakur, who is out on bail in the case, has sought exemption from court appearances on multiple occasions citing ailments. The NIA court is currently at the fag end of the trial in the 16-year-old blast case and recording final statements of the accused whose count stood at seven. Six people were killed and more than 100 injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon, a town in north Maharashtra about 200 km from Mumbai, on September 29, 2008. Thakur, Army officer Lt Col Prasad Purohit and five others are on trial for their alleged involvement in the blast conspiracy under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case was probed by Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) before being transferred to the NIA in 2011. 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
03 December,2024 07:14 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIThe actress-model, who has lodged a complaint against Bollywood actor Sharad Kapoor at Khar Police Station alleging exploitation, expressed her distrust over the situation. She stated that moving forward, she would refuse to visit anyone’s office or home for meetings, insisting instead on holding all meetings in public locations. Speaking with mid-day, the actress alleged that after filing the FIR, she visited the police station several times to follow up and meet the investigating officer. “When I visited the station yesterday, the police told me that he [Sharad Kapoor] was absconding. I don’t understand how the accused managed to escape. I had provided all the evidence, including voice recordings and screenshots of WhatsApp chats, based on which he should have been arrested. But the police have failed to take action. Is there an attempt to shield him?” Senior Inspector Sanjeev Dhumal of Khar Police Station said, “As per the Supreme Court guidelines, offences carrying a punishment of less than three years do not require immediate arrest. We have summoned the actor for questioning, and if he refuses to cooperate, we will proceed with his arrest.” Bollywood actor Sharad Kapoor has been booked by the Khar police based on a complaint from actress /model accusing him of of inappropriate behaviour and sexual assault. According to police sources, the alleged incident occurred earlier this week at Kapoor’s residence in Khar. The 32-year-old complainant has alleged that Kapoor invited her to his home under the pretext of discussing a film project. Once there, he reportedly asked her to enter his bedroom, behaved inappropriately, and forcibly touched her. The actress managed to escape by hitting the actor with her elbow. The actress, who runs her own film production company and resides in Goregaon, stated that she came into contact with the actor through Facebook. Speaking to mid-day she said “I received a message from the actor on my Facebook account. At first, I thought it was a fake account. Later, I received a voice call from him on Messenger. I couldn’t believe that such a famous actor would contact me to discuss a film project. To confirm his identity, I asked for a video call. I was shocked to see that it was actually Shard Kapoor.” “He asked for my mobile number, which I shared, and then invited me to meet him at his office. He shared the location, but upon reaching, I realised it was his residence. I rang the doorbell and an unknown man, aged around 45 to 50, opened the door. He informed me that Kapoor was in the bedroom. When I went there, I was shocked to see the actor sitting completely naked,” the actress said. “I turned my face away and refused to step inside. Kapoor insisted I enter. He then came up behind me, grabbed my arm, and started touching me inappropriately. I immediately hit him with my elbow and ran out of the house,” said the actress. “I was scared and in shock, unable to believe that such a renowned actor could have such a vile mindset and behave this way. I even received a voice message from him containing extremely inappropriate remarks, which I cannot repeat in front of others. I have handed over all the screenshots, messages, and voice recordings of the actor to the police,” said the actress. In the past, I have worked with many people, but this incident was horrifying. Moving forward, if anyone calls me for a meeting, this incident will probably haunt me every time,” said the actress. “If the police don’t take even the most serious crimes seriously and fail to act, then who can we trust?” she added. Despite repeated attempts the actor Sharad Kapoor has neither answered the calls, nor did he respond to the messages. Victim’s lawyer speaks Speaking with mid-day Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh, the actress’s lawyer said,” The Senior Inspector Sanjiv Dhumal and the officers of Khar police are hand in glove with the accused. Neither did they arrest him during house panchnama, nor did they do it when the accused appeared at the police station after having served notice. No law safeguards an accused from not being arrested when there is a prima facie case made against him. The purported negligence committed by the Khar police on the instructions of the senior police inspector needs to be addressed before higher authorities. We have filed a complaint today before the DCP and Additional CP for the same.” 32Age of the actress
03 December,2024 07:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanADVERTISEMENT
