A special court in Mumbai on Friday rejected diamond merchant Mehul Choksi's petition against a notice issued to him on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) application seeking to declare him a Fugitive Economic Offender in the multi-million dollar Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, news agency PTI reported. Special judge for cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), SM Menjoge, noted that the court order issuing the notice was not based on the "wrong facts or mistaken assumptions".Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are the prime accused in an alleged fraud at PNB that came to light in 2018, PTI reported.The diamond merchant, in his plea filed through advocates Vijay Agarwal and Rahul Agarwal, claimed that the central probe agency kept changing its arguments regarding the evidence and grounds on the basis of which it wants him declared an FEO. The lawyers cited multiple pleas and replies of the ED to show its 'contradictory' arguments, reported PTI.In the application seeking to declare Choksi as an FEO, the agency claimed he left the country under suspicious circumstances in the first week of January 2018. But in a rejoinder filed later, ED claimed that he had anticipated that the fraud would be unearthed, and hence he tried to dispose of his properties before fleeing the country, Choksi's lawyers pointed out. In a compliance report filed in September, as directed by the court, ED added that Choksi's application for a visa to Antigua and Barbuda was an act of planning to leave India and obtaining citizenship of the Caribbean country, Choksi's plea said.Advocate Vijay Agarwal contended that Choksi left India for medical treatment, and the offence was registered a month following his exit from the country.As his Indian passport was suspended by the passport authority, he could not return to India to participate in the investigation. The grounds mentioned in the ED application to declare him an FEO do not exist in the changed circumstances, hence the notice should be recalled, the lawyer argued. The agency, represented by special public prosecutors Hiten Vennegaokar and Kavita Patil, contended that all the relevant documents were on record and there was no change in its stand.Choksi has received the notice and can come back to India by obtaining travel documents from competent authorities, the agency further said, adding that he has also not challenged the order of suspension of his Indian passport to date.The judge, after hearing both the sides, said that upon perusal of documents on record, he did not find any change in ED's stand.Under the FEO Act, 2018, if any individual against whom a warrant has been issued in relation to an economic offence has left the country to avoid criminal prosecution, he or she can be declared an offender.Choksi and Modi are wanted by ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly defrauding PNB worth Rs 13,400 crore in collusion with a few bank employees.Modi has already been declared FEO by the court and is languishing at a jail in London since 2019. (With PTI inputs)
13 December,2024 10:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA 28-year-old autorickshaw driver has been arrested for allegedly attacking a Mumbai Police constable with a paver block in Powai, late on Thursday night. According to police sources, the incident when the traffic police stopped the accused for rash driving on Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR). The police suspected that the driver was under the influence of alcohol and asked the accused to undergo a breathalyzer test. According to sources, after it was then confirmed that the driver had consumed alcohol, the traffic cops promptly alerted the Powai Police about the incident. Powai Police personnel reached the scene and when one of their constables, Chintaman Belkar, attempted to escort the accused into the police van, he resisted and began misbehaving. He then picked up a paver block the road and attacked Belkar, injuring him. Following the incident, the rickshaw driver was immediately taken into custody. The Powai Police have registered a case against the accused, identified as Manoh Chauhan, for obstructing a public servant in the performance of duty and causing injury. The accused was promptly arrested after that, an officer from Powai Police Station said. The autorickshaw driver is a resident of Bhiwandi in Thane district. the officer added.
13 December,2024 10:15 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanMore than four years after he was arrested in the Elgar Parishad case, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai on Friday granted interim bail to Sagar Gorkhe to appear for his law degree exam, reported news agency PTI. The 22-day temporary bail was granted on a PR (personal recognisance) bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of similar amount. In case Gorkhe fails to arrange for a surety, he is allowed to furnish cash bail of Rs 25,000, the court noted and imposed a set of conditions on him. The accused is a member of the Kabir Kala Manch — an alleged front organisation of banned outfit CPI (Maoist). He was arrested in September 2020 and is currently lodged at Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai, PTI reported. Special judge Chakor Bhaviskar granted the bail till January 4 to allow Gorkhe to appear in the first semester examination of Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. As per Gorkhe's plea, after clearing the pre-entrance exam, he had enrolled in a three-year LLB programme at a college under the jurisdiction of a university headquartered in Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) in Maharashtra. Citing the "congested" and "stressful" condition in the prison, he had sought temporary relief not only to appear for the exam, but also "prepare for it without any distraction and stress". Elgar Parishad accused to get phone for NIA to track him during his bail period According to PTI, his petition mentioned that although the sanctioned strength of inmates in his barrack was 18, there are more than 40 prisoners lodged. "Besides the congested nature of the barrack, the jail is not a conducive place to peacefully study and prepare for the exam," the plea stated. The temporary bail was granted to the accused on a PR bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of similar amount. Such a bond allows releasing an accused from custody on a promise to appear as required by a court. The special court also directed Gorkhe to furnish an active mobile cell phone number to jail authorities, NIA and the prosecution. "He shall keep that cell phone alive, so that, if required, he may be contacted and his whereabouts can be traced," the judge stated, adding that NIA may monitor his whereabouts on the cell phone number given for the period of temporary bail only. Apart from Gorkhe, the court also granted permission to another Elgar Parishad case accused, Mahesh Raut, to appear for viva-voice, Semester-I, entrance exam of LLB.Gorkhe, Raut and 13 other activists and academicians were booked for allegedly making provocative speeches at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017. The speeches triggered violence at Bhima-Koregaon, on Pune city's outskirts, the following day, the Pune Police, which was probing the case, had said. As per the cops the conclave was backed by Maoists. Later, NIA took over the probe into the case. (With PTI inputs)
13 December,2024 08:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday said that it has seized 12 kg smuggled gold worth Rs 9.6 crore concealed inside DJ lights at the Mumbai Air Cargo Complex and busted a major gold smuggling attempt. The DRI said that based on inputs, officials found gold concealed inside DJ lights. While examining a consignment, approximately 3 kg of gold was found hidden in each DJ light, leading to a total recovery of 12 kg of gold worth Rs. 9.6 crore, the officials said. Following the recovery, DRI carried out further investigation and located a nearby godown and while conducting searched at the godown, the DRI officials found 68 additional DJ lights with hidden cavities used for smuggling gold in the same manner, the officials added. Two suspects allegedly involved in the smuggling operation have been arrested in connection with the matter. Investigations suggest that the smuggling syndicate has likely used this method to bring large quantities of gold into the country in the past, the official said. "The recent seizure marks a significant success for DRI against gold smuggling syndicates. In fact, DRI Mumbai has seized approximately 48 kg of smuggled gold in the past week alone," said an official.
13 December,2024 08:35 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanPolice have registered a case against two individuals for allegedly stoning and beating a stray dog to death in Bhiwandi, a town in Maharashtra’s Thane district, as per PTI. According to PTI reports, the incident took place in the Kalher area of Bhiwandi on the afternoon of December 8. The accused, identified as Mitesh Barodia and one Bharat, allegedly pelted stones at a stray dog and later thrashed the animal with a bamboo stick, resulting in its death. The case was registered on Wednesday following a complaint lodged with the local police, an official stated. The police have booked the accused under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to offences involving the killing, poisoning, maiming, or rendering any animal useless. They have also been charged under provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which penalises such acts of brutality. Speaking about the matter, a police official said, "The cruelty inflicted on the stray dog was reported to us last week, and based on the evidence and the complaint received, we have taken the necessary steps to book the accused. Investigations are underway, and appropriate action will be taken against the perpetrators." The incident has sparked outrage among animal rights activists and local residents, who have called for stringent punishment against those involved. Several activists have reiterated the need to address animal cruelty with urgency and stricter enforcement of laws to deter such incidents. Cases of animal cruelty have seen a troubling rise in recent years, with rights groups consistently advocating for amendments to existing laws to ensure harsher penalties for offenders. This particular incident in Thane highlights the need for greater awareness and proactive measures to protect stray animals, who are often the most vulnerable to such acts of violence. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, first enacted in 1960, has long been criticised by activists for its relatively lenient punishments. Many are urging legislative amendments to impose stricter penalties and better safeguard animal welfare across the country. (With inputs from PTI)
13 December,2024 12:45 PM IST | MumbaiAn unidentified man, believed to be in his early 30s, has been stalking women living in upscale South Mumbai (SoBo) buildings. He allegedly trespasses into these buildings, masturbates, and locks the victims’ doors from the outside before leaving the area, only to target another woman during afternoon hours. Local residents fear that this “sex pest” could also target international tourists frequenting the areas near the Gateway of India and Colaba Causeway. Over the past 15 days, at least three to four women have reportedly been stalked by this individual, according to residents. He appears to target women who are alone in the Colaba Causeway and nearby areas, particularly in the post-lunch hours. “We learned that one of the victims had called the Mumbai police when this creep stalked her. Although two constables arrived at her doorstep, no action was taken. If the police had arrested him that day, he wouldn’t have been able to harass other women in Colaba,” said Parvez Cooper, a local social activist, speaking to mid-day. CCTV grab of the unidentified man who allegedly stalks women The most recent incident occurred on December 11 at 3.48 pm. The man reportedly followed a woman into her building, climbed the staircase behind her, and paused while she unlocked her door. As she hurriedly shut the door behind her, he looked directly at the CCTV camera, unzipped his pants, and began masturbating. Before leaving, he locked the latch of her door from the outside. “This is truly shocking—it happened in a plush residential building in Colaba. The man has no fear of the law and has been targeting women in this area,” said Subhash Motwani, a local resident. Although the Colaba police have been informed about the incident, an FIR had not been registered at the time of going to press. However, Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dr Pravin Mundhe confirmed that three teams have been formed to trace the stalker. Women in the Colaba area now live in constant fear of being stalked or flashed by this man. “This man stalks women, flashes in front of them, and even tries to enter their homes. He locks the gates from the outside before fleeing the premises,” said a source from Colaba. The matter came to light after an elderly woman was stalked on December 11. CCTV footage of the incident was shared among local residents, prompting several women to come forward with similar accounts of harassment over the past few days. Most residential buildings in Colaba are old heritage structures without private security guards, making them easy targets for trespassers. “The lack of security allows anyone to enter these buildings. This stalker has been targeting women in Colaba for the past two weeks,” said Cooper. Subhash Motwani added, “Hundreds of elderly women live alone in Colaba. This man is a serious threat to society, and the police must arrest him immediately.” The residents have also expressed concerns about the growing number of hawkers in South Mumbai, noting that the streets were only cleared for the recent oath-taking ceremony of the Maharashtra government. “If the complainant is unwilling to file an FIR, the police should act suo motu to arrest the accused. Unfortunately, no action has been taken,” said a resident. Speculating on the stalker’s identity, another resident added, “Considering his pattern, this sex pest is likely one of the hawkers who illegally occupy the footpaths near the semi-commercial hub in SoBo.” A local source lamented, “The governance in Colaba is worse than in rural areas. We had to involve local politicians to pressure the police into taking action. Even then, no FIR has been registered. How will the police catch the accused?” On Thursday, a group of citizens met local politicians and visited the Colaba police station and the DCP’s office to demand action. “The DCP has assured us of all possible help,” said a source. “Today there is no senior inspector in Colaba police station. God forbid, if a serious issue arises, how police will handle the situation? It is a total mess!” he added. DCP Dr Mundhe said, “We have formed three teams to trace the accused. An FIR has not been registered because none of the women are willing to record their statements. However, we will take suo motu action and register the case.” When asked why the stalker was not apprehended earlier when a woman had called the police, Mundhe responded, “Apparently, the accused fled before our team arrived. However, we will arrest him soon. We have a zero-tolerance policy for crimes against women.”
13 December,2024 12:44 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaThe Bandra police have arrested a 33-year-old man who had been absconding in a hit-and-run case in Bandra, which resulted in the death of a 25-year-old pillion rider. The police tracked the accused to Bihar and apprehended him on Thursday. The accused, Princhu Arya Arjun Chaudhary (23), is a resident of Bandra originally hailing from Bihar. The deceased, Shivani Singh, a resident of Malad West, was travelling as a pillion rider on a two-wheeler with her male friend. The incident occurred at Kalantri Square in Bandra West. The victim's friend was taking a U-turn when a speeding water tanker struck, crushing the pillion rider and fracturing her male friend's leg. As a crowd gathered at the scene, the water tanker driver fled. Singh was rushed to Bhabha Hospital, where she was declared dead upon arrival. Investigating officer PSI Ganesh Bharati of Bandra Police Station stated, "We first traced the owner of the tanker and then tracked down the accused driver in Bihar. The driver had fled the scene and switched off his mobile phone. Using CCTV footage and technical assistance, we were able to locate the accused in Bihar and arrest him."
13 December,2024 12:33 PM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaA threatening email was received on Thursday afternoon through the official website of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The email, written in Russian, contained a threat to blow up the RBI. The MRA Marg Police Station has registered a case against an unidentified individual in connection with the incident. Taking the matter seriously, the police have initiated an investigation.
13 December,2024 10:22 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanAn Economic Offences Wing (EOW) team investigating the Rs 200 crore fake arbitration case involving Denron Rea IT and Bliss Consultants—the trading company owned by finfluencer Ashesh Mehta and his wife Shivangi—has claimed that it has unearthed the mastermind behind the plot. The complex case came to light when the Madhya Pradesh police arrested a Mumbai man carrying drugs in 2023. His interrogation led them to the Goregaon couple, exposing questionable financial dealings, eventually resulting in the case landing with the EOW. Records of transactions that were termed fraudulent Ajay Harinath Singh, the chairman and managing director of Darwin Platform Group of Companies, then came forward to claim that he had paid R200 crore in cash to Bliss Consultants and submitted receipts to the Bombay High Court in a sealed envelope. As the investigation progressed, Singh applied for anticipatory bail in October. The bail hearing was set for Thursday but was adjourned till December 19. After Singh submitted the documents in court, Nikki Shaha, who holds the power of attorney for Ashesh, filed a complaint alleging that Denron Rea IT had submitted fraudulent documents in the Mehta couple’s name to secure an arbitration order worth R200 crore. Further, it was alleged that a certain Sabir Rafique Khan impersonated Mehta before the arbitrator. As a result, the FIR, initially registered at Andheri police station, was transferred to the EOW for further investigation. The FIR names Denron Rea IT, along with its directors Hariprasad Akalu Paswan, Rameshkumar Yadav, and Sabir Rafique Khan, as accused. Ajay Harinath Singh. File Pic During the investigation, Denron director Hariprasad Paswan denied involvement in the fraudulent R200 crore arbitration case against Bliss Consultants, claiming his signatures were forged, and alleging that the entire operation was orchestrated by Ajay Harinath Singh and his associate Ajay Kumar Pasi. Paswan said, “All fraudulent documents and proceedings against Bliss Consultants have been initiated, orchestrated, and perpetrated by Ajay Harinath Singh, aided by advocate Dharmendra V Patel and Ajay Kumar Pasi for reasons best known to them.” Fearing arrest, Singh had approached the Mumbai sessions court seeking anticipatory bail in October. The court has prohibited the agency from taking any action against Singh till the hearing of the anticipatory bail application and had ordered Singh to be present at the EOW’s office every other day until the next hearing and to cooperate with the investigation. According to EOW sources, the agency has informed the court that Singh is not cooperating with the investigation. His mobile phone is frequently switched off, and the address mentioned in his application, located in the Prabhadevi area, is a rented property where he does not reside, sources said. When Singh appeared before the agency for the first time, he claimed his residence was in Goregaon. However, he has refused to disclose his actual address and is allegedly concealing it from the authorities. An officer told mid-day that during the investigation, documents obtained from the bank and those related to Denron Rea IT Private Limited Company revealed that while the company’s official director is someone else, the control and signature rights are held only by Singh. Further, the arbitration order highlights that the signature rights for the account, where funds from the Bliss Consultants’ account were supposed to be transferred, is also under Singh’s control. This establishes that Singh is the primary mastermind behind the conspiracy, the sources said. In his bail application, Singh claimed to have invested R200 crore with Bliss Consultants and submitted a GST bill for this amount. He intended to demonstrate to the court that GST had also been paid on the invested amount. However, upon investigation by GST officials, it was revealed that the chalan was fake because the name of the company mentioned for the credit of the chalan was also fake. In the same case, the EOW had previously arrested advocate Amit Chaurasiya, an assistant of Singh’s lawyer Dharmendra Patel. Patel who was representing Denron, also filed an anticipatory bail plea, which the additional sessions court rejected. “However, he was initially granted five days of interim relief on the condition that he would appear before the EOW and cooperate with their investigation. Singh, too, approached the court seeking anticipatory bail after that,” the officer added. Speaking with mid-day, the Mehta couple’s lawyer said, “The intervening director has denied authorising the arbitration or the alleged agreements, further exposing the fabrication of documents.”
13 December,2024 07:49 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe MRA Marg Police apprehended a 20-year-old man on Thursday, a day after his motorcycle hit a pedestrian, resulting in the latter falling down and being run over by a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking bus in Mumbai. The accident occurred around 4.30 pm on Wednesday near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in South Mumbai. “The bus on route number A-26 was moving to Electric House around 3.25 pm. When the bus was passing CSMT at 4.25 pm, it ran over a pedestrian. The bus was driven by a BEST undertaking bus driver,” a spokesperson of the civic transport body said. The 60-year-old victim, Hasenar Anduhi, hailed from Kasaragod district in Kerala, PTI reported. "We have arrested Mohammad Sahil Siddhique. He is resident of Dongri. We are investigating the matter further," Deputy Commissioner of Zone 1, Dr Pravin Munde, said. Anduhi was walking near Bhatia Baug Junction when he was hit by Siddique's motorcycle, which ultimately resulted in his death under a rear wheel of the BEST bus. After the incident, Mumbai Police registered a case and launched a search for the motorcyclist. The BEST bus driver, Dnyandev Namdeo Jagdale, was questioned by MRA Marg Police earlier. This was the third such incident involving a BEST bus. In another incident, a bike was hit by a BEST bus at Goregaon. A bus on route no 447, was going towards Goregaon at 5.30 pm on Wednesday. There was an unattended bike parked near Gai Vasru Chowk, which the larger vehicle hit. The bike rider later reported the incident. No injuries were reported. On Monday night, an out of control electric BEST bus fatally knocked down seven persons and injured 42 others. The police investigation into the horrific Kurla bus accident has revealed that the bus driver, 54-year-old Sanjay More, began operating the electric BEST bus just days before the crash took place. Following the incident, More was initially detained by the Kurla Police and was later placed under arrest. He has been booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. (With PTI inputs)
12 December,2024 06:26 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgashePolice have registered a case against a woman sarpanch on Thursday for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a house owner in Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) stated that the person had bought a house and in order to levy the property tax, wanted the house to be registered with the Vangni gram panchayat. The sarpanch initially demanded Rs 20,000 for the same, but later reduced the amount to Rs 10,000, stated PTI. The house owner then approached the ACB, which filed a complaint with police. The ACB stated that the Kulgaon police on Wednesday registered an FIR against the sarpanch under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, based on the complaint. Two forest officials held for accepting bribe in Palghar district In a similar case of bribery, recently two forest officials from Maharashtra's Palghar district were arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe from a complainant after threatening to take action against him, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said on Friday, reported the PTI. According to the PTI, one of the suspect who was identified as Pannalal Dinkar Beldar (35), is a forest guard and the second official, identified as Pankaj Shantaram Saner (45), is a ranger, said Harshal Chavan, deputy superintendent of police of ACB in Palghar district. The ACB official said the complainant, who owns a chawl along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, was changing the entrance to his property in the opposite direction for easy access, but the two officials accused him of encroaching upon forest land, the news agency reported. Saner on September 16 demanded Rs 2,40,000 from the complainant to not act against him. He paid Rs 90,000 to the accused duo the same day, said the official. The complainant then approached the ACB, which laid a trap and nabbed the two on Thursday after Beldar allegedly accepted Rs 40,000 as part of the bribe, he said, the PTI reported. The Valiv police have booked the two under the Prevention of Corruption Act, he added, as per the PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
12 December,2024 01:04 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
