Charkop erupts in anger over youth’s suicide

Protesters outside Charkop police station

COPS UNDER SCANNER

Nitasha Natu I TNN

Mumbai: Charkop erupted on Thursday as shops downed shutters and residents staged a rally, which culminated at the police station, demanding immediate action against the culprits in the Nikesh Bhandari case. Nikesh (26) had thrown himself before a running train in Virar on Tuesday. He left behind a suicide note blaming the police for harassing his family and a group of boys from the locality who had assaulted him on Holi. 

    The Vasai GRP on Wednesday lodged a case of abetment against 15 persons, including inspector Pravin Patil from Charkop police station. Nikesh had stated in his suicide note that Patil did not record his statement properly, tried to protect one of the accused and threatened his brother,Chaitanya,over phone. “Our contention is that no arrests have been made yet. Home minister RR Patil spoke to me over phone and has summoned us for a meeting to his office” Chaitanya said. Patil also assured the family of a CID probe.
 

    Led by Shiv Sena MLA Vinod Ghoshalkar, the protesters blocked the road. Some protesters went to the residence of one of the accused, Ankush Gawli, and damaged his belongings. Additional police force had to be summoned and the area near the police station was barricaded. The morcha went on from 10am to 1pm.
 

    The 15 accused in the case are Sachin Ghag and his wife Nikita,Santosh Gawli, Sumedh Tate and his wife, Ravi Gurav, Sunil Tate, Mahesh Lad, Jagdish Lad, Ashish Gawli,inspector Pavin Patil,NCP activist Prakash Surve, Manaram Patel, Neetu Padhi and Mahesh Khatavkar.
    The Bhandaris sought to know why the charges lodged Nikesh’s attackers, following the Holi assault, were reduced and what police probe was carried out.  

STAIN 0N KHAKI Seven cops accused of rape in last 6 yrs
Mumbai: The police, who are struggling to arrest ACP Anil Mahabole, are grappling with the issue of sexual abuse by its personnel. Seven policemen have been accused of rape in the last six years.
    According to its records, constable Sunil More has been imprisoned for 12 years for raping a college student, another constable has been sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for raping a ragpicker. A senior inspector, accused of sexually abusing a minor, died on railway tracks near Ahmednagar in 2010, while an inspector from the V B Nagar police station was arrested for allegedly raping an airline employee. Even as the force condemns such acts, senior police officers distance themselves from the culprits, saying what a policeman does off duty is not their responsibility. 

    The list of such personnel in the police force is long. Take the example of deceased senior inspector Arun Borude (53). He was part of the force’s encounter squad and enjoyed the patronage of several senior police officers. He was suspended after a blast accused, Khwaja Yunus, was killed in police custody. Years later, Borude was given a plum posting as incharge of L T Marg police station. In October 2010, a 15-year-old girl complained that Borude and others raped her. She delivered a baby as well. Borude proceeded on sick leave and was absconding after an FIR was registered against him. He was found dead near railway tracks in December 2010. In 2012, a court acquitted several accused in the case. 

    Senior police officers blame long hours and work pressure cause policemen to go astray. “How can we keep tabs on an off-duty policeman?” said a senior officer. 

    A Marine Drive constable, More, raped a college student inside a police chowkie on April 21, 2005. Subsequently, he was dismissed from the department under Article 311 of the Constitution. While the force was still struggling to wipe off the stains, another constable, Chandrakant Pawar, was arrested for sexually abusing a minor ragpicker on October 17, 2005. A DNA test proved that Pawar raped the girl under the influence of alcohol near Sahar airport and on July 13, 2006, he was sentenced to 15 years’ rigorous imprisonment.
 

    In December 2010, the Ambernath police registered a case against constable Sanjay Rathod (26), posted with the SRPF for allegedly raping a 20-year-old after promising to marry her.---Mateen Hafeez

The Times of India, April 20, 2012

13/7 bombers used 18 SIMs to evade cops

ATS Writes To Telecom Regulator As Survey Shows 40% Of SIM Cards In Use In City Were Procured With Fake Documents 

 

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

    The investigation into the 13/7 triple bombings has revealed that the two Pakistani bombers staying in Byculla’s Habib Apartments used as many as 18 SIM cards and six handsets. The revelation has sent alarm bells ringing in the force. Cops are particularly worried since a survey conducted by them last year had found that four out of 10 SIM cards in use in Mumbai were procured with forged documents, which can be gained for a paltry Rs 5.
 

    Police sources from the Kalachowkie unit of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) told TOI that two suspected 13/7 bombers—who have been identified in court documents as ‘A’ and ‘B’, but are believed to be Pakistanis named Waqqas and Tabrez—were provided 18 SIM cards by co-accused Naqi Ahmed. Naqi was first arrested by the ATS in January this year for possessing SIM cards obtained with fake documents. It was during his interrogation in this case that Naqi admitted his role in the July 13 blasts and explained the conspiracy. He also admitted working with Indian Mujahideen’s founder member Yasin Bhatkal to arrange accommodation for the bombers at Habib Apartments.
 

    “We suspected that the bombers changed SIM cards to avoid telephonic surveillance during their stay in Mumbai. We are still collecting the call records of these SIM cards,” a police officer said on condition of anonymity.
 

    The officer explained that a relative of Naqi ran a shop in Madanpura where he sold SIM cards. The cards for the Pakistani bombers were acquired from there after furnishing fake documents. The cards were however never used to make calls to Pakistan. Nor were any calls received on them from Pakistan. “We are trying to find out if any other SIM was used to speak to family members or handlers in Pakistan,” the officer said.
 

    The bombers also changed six mobile handsets to avoid leaving behind a trail of evidence. The money for the handsets was provided to Naqi by his handlers in Bihar, said a source.
    The revelation is a security fear come true for the police. Last year, they had found in a survey that about 40% of the SIM cards in use in Mumbai were procured with forged documents. A subsequent investigation showed that a set of fake documents—including a colour photograph, a ration card and a photo identity card—required for obtaining a SIM card can be bought in several areas of Mumbai for as little as Rs 5.
 

    For the survey, the police examined documents submitted for 26,450 randomly chosen SIM cards. Out of these, more than 10,000 were found to be forged. Shaken by the findings, the ATS has written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), asking for stricter implementation of norms related to verification of documents submitted for getting SIM cards. 

    “While investigating serious offences, including terror attacks, we found that the accused had used SIM cards issued on bogus documents,” said a senior ATS officer. “We have requested TRAI to ensure stricter implementation of norms since this is a matter of national security.” 

    After the 13/7 blasts, the Bhiwandi police had arrested a man and seized more than 1 lakh SIM cards, all of which had been issued using fake identity documents. The police later said the accused had been selling cards to telephone booth owners, who earned lakhs using these cards. There was, however, no record of the users. 

 
THE TERROR AT TACK AND THE PROBE
Three bombs rocked the city on July 13, 2011. Four individuals have been arrested in the case so far and at least four are wanted by the police: ARRESTED
 

NAQI AHMED VASI SHAIKH |  

AGE: 22 

ROLE | Police allege that Indian Mujahideen leader Yasin Bhatkal sent explosives for the 13/7 blasts from Delhi to Mumbai, where Naqi received them. Naqi is also accused of stealing one of the scooters in which a bomb was planted. ATS allege that Naqi helped the suspected Pakistani bombers to conduct recces of the targets prior to the blasts and helped them get a rented room in Habib Apartments (pictured on right) in Byculla
 

NADEEM AKHTAR ASHFAQUE SHAIKH  

AGE: 23  

ROLE | He was arrested in a SIM card forgery case in which Naqi was also booked. Akhtar is alleged to have ferried explosives from Delhi to Mumbai and stolen one of the scooters that had a bomb. He allegedly helped Naqi transfer two stolen motorbikes in train from Mumbai to Bihar
 

HAROON RASHID NAIK  

AGE: 33 

ROLE | Naik was first arrested in a fake currency case in July 2011. A chargesheet filed by the ATS in that case says that Naik travelled for arms training to Pakistan and to Afghanistan, where he met Osama bin Laden. The training was arranged and funded by IM leader Riyaz Bhatkal. Naik allegedly collected funds for the 13/7 attacks in UAE and sent them to India
 

KANWARNAI PATHRIJA | 

 AGE: 42 

ROLE | An alleged hawala operator, Pathrija handed over Rs 10 lakh that he had received from Naik to Yasin Bhatkal. He has been charged for aiding and abetting the blasts
 

WANTED SHAIKH TAHSEEN |  

AGE: 22 

ROLE | He is suspected of planting the explosive at Dadar and is said to be on the run in Andhra Pradesh. Tahseen, according to the police, arrived in Mumbai from Bihar on July 7, 2011, and stayed at Mumbra. He attended conspiracy meetings in Mumbai
 

SARFARAZ AHMED |  

AGE: 24 

ROLE | He is suspected of helping Tahseen conduct recces for the bombings and of taking part in the conspiracy
 

THE PAK BOMBERS ROLE | Identified as just ‘A’ and ‘B’ in court documents, they are suspected of planting the bombs at Zaveri Bazar and Opera House. Sources say they are two Pakistanis named Waqqas and Tabrez. They reportedly stayed at a flat in Habib Apartments, which was rented by producing fake Indian PAN cards

The Times of India, April 19, 2012

TERRORISTS HAVE A CALLING CARD

The perpetrators of the 13/7 Mumbai blasts which killed 27 used 18 fraudulently obtained SIM cards. Mateen Hafeez reports, P 4

• 4 out of 10 SIM cards in city are bought on the basis of forged documents. These documents are available for as little as Rs 5 a set 

The Times of India, April 19, 2012

Captain of Korean ship faces arrest for crew member’s death

A Korean national was killed and six people were injured in an explosion on the vessel in March

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: The Yellow Gate police are likely to arrest the Captain and chief officer of Korean ship Royal Diamond-7 on charge of causing death by negligence. A Korean worker, Mun Heyon Seak (56), had died in a gas explosion last month on board the merchant vessel. The ship, anchored 15 nautical miles from Mumbai, still contains over 8,000 tonnes of inflammable chemicals. 

    Inspector M G Tope said the ship came to Mumbai on March 16 from Taiwan and was to go to Kandla port in Gujarat. “There was an explosion on the ship on March 17. Three persons were injured in the blast. On March 24, another explosion took place on the ship. A Korean national was killed and six people, including three Indians, were injured,” said Tope.
 

    Moreover, an Indian worker’s leg was burnt and he was flung into the sea due to the gas discharge pressure. “It’s very dangerous to anchor a ship near the shore so we asked them to berth it farther from here. Now, it takes two hours to reach the ship,” said Tope.

The Times of India, April 18,2012

Video trial for Somali pirates

Mumbai: Around 120 Somali pirates, caught last year on charges of murder and attempt to murder, are facing trial via video conferencing. “Due to insufficient manpower, it is difficult to transfer them to the court and back. In each case, there are nearly 30 accused and sometimes the hearing for all falls on the same day. Hence, this is the most feasible way,” said a senior jail official. — Mateen Hafeez 

The Times of India, April 17, 2012

MHA puts cops on duty to net young cyber criminals

Mateen Hafeez TNN
Mumbai: The Union home ministry has issued an unusual advisory to cops across the country—it has listed various measures to reduce growing instances of cyber crime among minors. Among them is a suggestion that young policemen visit cyber cafes under cover “pretending to be minors” to monitor children’s activities.
    According to the advisory, “if any cyber cafe owner allows minors to surf porn sites or carry out other crimes, he could be arrested”. It has mentioned the kinds of cyber crimes children have been found to indulge in, such as stalking, harassment, defamation, character assassination and sending threat emails, and suggested what sections of the Information Technology Act can be invoked in the cases.
 

    The advisory, which the city police received recently, states that in today’s technology-savvy era, children are prone to using the computer, hence the need to concentrate on how the police can make the use of internet and electronic gadgets safer for them.
    Observing that children are also exposed to sexually explicit material, the MHA has said it must be controlled. “For this, awareness programmes can be conducted at schools and colleges. Moreover, the police cell handling the juvenile section could conduct meetings with parents and suggest what can be done to save children from indulging in cyber crimes,” the advisory says.  

Cop site may list safety tips for young cyber users Home Ministry To Police: Minors Involved In Identity Theft, Hacking
    The Union home ministry recently issued an advisory for police across the country to curb growing instances of cyber crime amongst minors.
    The advisory also included suggestions such as listing out safety measures or tips on internet usage on the state police’s web site, or creating a children’s corner where internet tips could be explained to children in a simple and easy-to-understand language. Assistance on the subject could be sought from Nasscom, the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) as well as the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), it stated.
 

    Police sources said these days, even school-going children have internet facility on their mobile phones. “Parents must therefore keep monitoring their phones. It could help them find out whether their child is misusing the internet,” said an officer.
 

    There have been cases where school-going children were found to have made derogatory remarks about their classmates on socialnetworking web sites.
    Some are more serious. A young boy, for instance, had sent out a threat email following the Delhi High Court bomb blast. The email's origin was traced and the boy was arrested. Then, around half a dozen minors were caught by Mumbai’s cyber police for sending terror or threat emails to television channels claiming to be members of terror outfits, simply as attention-seeking stunts. A 16-year-old was convicted in one such case in Mumbai.
    “Some minors have been found involved in identity theft, hacking of emails or accounts on social networking web sites, and there is unwanted exposure of sexually explicit material. There is a need to conduct special programmes and skill development for those manning child lines,” the advisory stated.
 

VIRTUAL POLICING  

Home ministry advisory says: FOR POLICEMEN Pose as minors and visit cyber cafés Conduct meetings with parents; interact with them and generate awareness about children’s internet habits Those manning child lines should be aware about internet use and misuse
 

FOR PARENTS Monitor children’s internet browsing history regularly Also, monitor content of web sites children visit as well as their e-activities Ensure that children aren’t using any fake email account
 

PSYCHIATRISTS TO PARENTS Do not deal too strictly with children Do not expect them to behave in a mature fashion; they are kids, after all Do not pass value judgements if found guilty Schools should create a friendly and democratic environment for kids Take what kids say with a pinch of salt Educate them about cyber space and its dangers Take the child to a counsellor if found misusing internet despite being told of its dangers  

Sections of the IT Act and the Indian Penal Code that can be invoked in case of cyber crimes:
 

CYBER STALKING When a victim is repeatedly and persistently followed and pursued online or with electronic gadgets.
    Sections 66A, 66C, 66E of the IT Act for hacking could be invoked, along with Section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended
    to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code
 

CYBER BULLYING Acts of harassment, embarrassment, and taunts, insults or threatening behaviour towards a victim by the use of internet
    Sections for cyber stalking could be invoked for cyber bullying as well
 

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY This is a serious offence Sections 67, 57A and 67B of the IT Act, and sections 292 and 293 (for sale etc of obscene books or material) of the IPC could be invoked
 

HACKING OF EMAILS Section 66 of the IT Act could be invoked 

The Times of India, April 15, 2012

Woman accuses ACP of sexual harassment

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: An assistant commissioner of police from the Vinoba Bhave Nagar police station has been accused by a woman of sexually harassing her. This is the third time in a year that such charges have been levelled against personnel posted at the police station in Kurla.
 

    According to the woman’s complaint, an assistant commissioner of police offered her sweets, eating which she fell unconscious; the officer then shot a video of her in a compromising state and started blackmailing her. The victim complained that the ACP, who has now been posted in a comparatively less important branch, has been blackmailing her with the video, asking her for sexual favours.
 

    Some senior police officials remained tight-lipped about the increasing crime against women by the men in khaki. “An inquiry and verification is going on and until we receive a report, I cannot comment,” said Rajnish Seth, joint commissioner of police (law and order). Other officers, however, said they were taking efforts to curb such crimes. “When somebody commits a crime, we take action, irrespective of his post or department. We go by the law and will not tolerate misbehaviour with women,” said a senior officer.
 

    Earlier, a female officer, who is on probation, had alleged that a senior officer had molested her. On Thursday, Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik suspended inspector Dilip Mangaonkar and his orderly, Ashok Bhalekar, for misbehaving with their colleague and passing lewd remarks at her. Last year, a subinspector from the same police station, Manoj Londe, was arrested on charges of rape after he had physical relations with an airline employee after promising to marry her. 

    Policemen being involved in crime is not a new thing. Assistant inspector Umesh Patil, attached to the Nagpada police station, was suspended on Friday for allegedly using a stolen bike with a fake registration number to patrol the area. Sources said Patil had been using the stolen bike for the last three months.
 

LAW ENFORCERS DABBLE IN CRIME 

 
APRIL 12 Senior inspector Mahendra Chavan, attached to the Ulhasnagar crime branch, is booked for allegedly demanding Rs 10,000 from an ex-NCP corporator to renovate his office. He allegedly threatened to book the former corpoator in a false case when the latter refused to pay 

 MARCH 1 Four persons, including two cops from the Thane anti-narcotics cell, are arrested for allegedly selling charas worth Rs 1.2 lakh. The arrested policemen were head constable Ashok Suryavanshi (50) and police nayak Shivaji Kshirsagar (36)
 

JANUARY 19 Crime branch inspector Ravindra Badgujar is suspended for facilitating the acquittal of a hawala operator in a case linked to gangster Farid Tanasha’s murder

The Times of India, April 15, 2012