Banker attacked in office parking lot, body untraced

Woman Among Five Detained For Questioning

Mateen Hafeez & S Ahmed Ali TNN

 Mumbai: Missing HDFC Bank executive Siddharth Sanghavi (39) may have been attacked on the fifth floor parking lot of the Lower Parel building with a blunt object on Wednesday night, sources in the investigation team said. His phone was later switched off by 9.30pm and the next day his car was found abandoned outside a building compound in Koparkhairane in Navi Mumbai.

Investigators took the labourer, Shaikh, to identify the spot where he claimed to have dumped the body.

Although a source close to the family told TOI that the body was found near Haji Malang area in Kalyan and was being brought to Mumbai by police, Tushar Doshi, Navi Mumbai DCP (crime), said Shaikh had not yet revealed where he had dumped the body. Sanghavi’s anxious family members were seen at the police station, waiting for more information on him. The police had requested them to go home saying they would be called once the body arrived. Talking about the young banker, a family friend said, “He was the most harmless and soft-spoken person. He was a family man and never visited clubs or gymkhanas. His only love was watching cricket. Sometimes he used to play cricket with his son in the building compound.”

Doshi claimed they had used technical expertise to detain Shaikh. “He has revealed incriminating things regarding the case. Shaikh has claimed that he did not murder the bank official but only disposed of his body. He has not revealed where he has dumped the body. As a missing complaint was being investigated, to certify his claims, a proper FIR for murder has to be registered. Based on his verbal statement, he has been handed over to Mumbai police for further investigation,” he said.

Senior inspector Jagdish Kulkarni of Navi Mumbai crime branch said, “Shaikh, who hails from UP and resides in Koparkhairane, was detained from Belapur area around 10.30am on Sunday. Previously he worked as a fabricator and at present he is unemployed.”

Kulkarni added, “We were informally assisting in the probe as the missing person's car with blood stains was found in Koparkhairane. Through technical investigation, we identified a person who had seen Shaikh parking the car on the road near Shanti Heights in sector 11, Koparkhairane on September 6 around 12.45am. The informer later gave a tip off that Shaikh would be visiting a place in Belapur. Subsequently, he was apprehended.”

After the NM Joshi Marg police got Shaikh, it began questioning him and later detained four more persons, including a woman. It is still not clear how a contract labourer from Koparkhairane came in touch with the suspected killers. Shaikh has been giving evasive replies and changing his statements. Police was tightlipped on how much money was paid to Shaikh to dump the body. After dumping the body near Kalyan, Shaikh went in the car till Koparkhairane where he resided and parked it outside a building before fleeing from there.

On Friday, police had collected the blood samples of his parents to conduct a DNA test for comparison with the stains found on the rear seat. Sources said they are still awaiting the DNA test result. They are also trying to find out if the finger prints found on the car match with any of the persons being questioned.

(Inputs by George Mendonca)

The Times of India, September 10, 2018

Bank exec may have been killed due to office rivalry

Five Detained But Body Yet To Be Traced

Mateen Hafeez & S Ahmed Ali TNN

Mumbai: The mystery of the missing HDFC Bank executive Siddharth Sanghavi (39) may be on the verge of being cracked after Navi Mumbai crime branch detained a 20-year-old contract labourer, Raees alias Sarfaraz Shaikh, who claimed to have dumped Sanghavi’s body near the Kalyan highway at the behest of the killers. Based on this information, the N M Joshi Marg police in Lower Parel detained four more persons, including a woman—their identities were not revealed. 

Preliminary reports indicate Sanghavi, who resided in Malabar Hill, may have been murdered over professional jealousy. His promotions and increments had allegedly attracted the envy of some of his colleagues. Sanghavi was a senior executive in the Lower Parel branch handling credit and market risk. Till the time of going to press on Sunday night, the police were non-committal on the precise details surrounding his disappearance and murder as well as the motive.

Sources in HDFC Bank said Sanghavi joined the bank in 2007 as senior manager. In 2011he was promoted as assistant vice president and in 2015, he was made deputy vice president. In 2017 January, he was promoted to vice president. In a span of 10 years he was promoted thrice and this may have been one of the reasons, sources said, for the jealousy. 

The Times of India, September 10, 2018

Cops to take stock of files destroyed in Scindia fire; probe into blaze on

 

Scindia House

Mateen Hafeez | TNN | Jun 5, 2018, 06:39 IST

MUMBAI: Three days after a fire broke out at Scindia House, a five-storey heritage structure in the office precinct of Ballard Estate, the police on Monday recorded the statement of those present at the site on the day of the blaze.

As part of the probe, the police are awaiting a report from the income-tax office about which documents were burnt. The I-T department is probing some high-profile cases.

On Monday, a police team and personnel from the state forensic science laboratory inspected the site to ascertain if there was any sabotage.

Fire officials said the blaze started on the third floor, which houses the investigation unit of the I-T department.
 
A mobile forensic investigation van of the Mumbai police was stationed outside Scindia House on Monday. A team of 15 officials from MRA Marg police station, were engaged in carrying out a panchnama, which involves surveying a site and putting out a report on the circumstances as seen at the site.


“We have not registered a case yet. Our action will be based on the fire department’s report. We are recording the statement of those present at the site,” said deputy commissioner of police Manoj Sharma.

The panchnama started in the morning, after the fire brigade gave its nod to the police who had shut all gates and barricaded the area after the fire was doused. Cooling operations took more than two days.

The fire report is expected to be out in a fortnight.

The Times of India, June 5, 2018

ALLEGATIONS BY SENIOR COP'S WIFE - `Ex-biz partner told me to sleep with govt officials'

Mateen Hafeez I TNN





Mumbai: The wife of an additional DGP , now posted in Delhi, has accused her former business partner of coaxing her to sleep with government officials. An FIR of molestation was registered at the Bandra-Kurla Complex police station and later transferred to the crime branch.

 The woman, an entrepreneur, in her complaint stated she and the accused planned to start a company , but the accused later asked her to sleep with senior government officials to get work done and would look at her weirdly , said a police officer. The accused, who has investments in several businesses, earlier floated a `farmers-to-consumers' scheme for buying and selling vegetables and fruits. “The complainant and the accused had planned to float a new business. She said in her complaint that she had chalked out the plans and came up with a new concept for the firm. The duo signed a memorandum of understanding, but the plan was not executed even after six months. However, the accused floated a firm in Jaipur using the same concept,“ said an officer. The businessman is also accused of passing comments at the complainant.

Looking at the gravity of the case, the investigation was handed over to the Crime Against Women (CAW) cell of the crime branch. “We have issued a notice to the accused to appear before the investigating officer,“ said the source. The CAW cell mainly comprises women cops and sensitive cases are transferred to this branch. “Our probe is at a crucial stage and we can't reveal much about it. We have summoned the businessman for his statement. An official of the rank of ACP is supervising the probe,“ added the source.





The Times of India, March 19, 2015

‘Birla Power shifted money to sister cos’

Mumbai: The economic offences wing (EOW) probing a cheating case against several directors of Birla Power Solutions Pvt Ltd on Thursday said it had found a total FDs and ICDs (inter-corporate deposits) worth Rs 214 crore in the firm. 

    “There were 11 transactions from Birla Solutions to their sister companies. We found that a large chunk of investors’ money had been transferred to sister concerns and other companies,” said Rajvardhan Sinha, additional commissioner of police, EOW. — Mateen Hafeez 

The Times of India, February 7, 2014

Firm booked for cheating investors of over 21cr

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: The Marine Drive police have registered a case of cheating against Birla Power Solutions Pvt Ltd for allegedly duping a Worli-based businessman of Rs 1 crore by not repaying his fixed deposit investment on maturity. The police said that more than 12 people have approached them to complain about the “dubious” scheme and the amount involved in the case has gone up to Rs 21.66 crore. 

    The company neither took calls nor replied to several messages and an email from TOI.
    Niket Kaushik, additional commissioner of police, said the case had been transferred to the economic offences wing, which may summon the firm’s employees for questioning.     The FIR says that in February 2012, the victims invested in a fixed deposit scheme in which they were promised a return of 10.75% after a year. The police said over Rs 300 crore was collected under this scheme. 

    But when the investors did not get either their returns or investment amount till March this year, they panicked. “After the end of the maturity period, we were waiting for our returns, but the firm did not respond. All attempts to meet the company officials did not succeed. Some senior officials, who were part of the board of directors at the time of floating the scheme, have resigned. The new directors are not talking to us. We had seen this scheme’s advertisements in newspapers and invested in it,” said a complainant, who did not want to be identified. 

    The police have booked the firm under various sections of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors Act. 

 

The Times of India, December 31, 2013

Mishap complainant can’t withdraw FIR

The smashed Aston Martin

Courts Will Have Final Say In Pedder Road Accident Case

Swati Deshpande & Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: Phorum Ruparel, a 25-yearold student who complained to the police after a speeding Aston Martin hit her Audi on Pedder Road early this month,hassaidshedoes notwishto pursue the case. But it is not in her hands anymoretowithdrawtheFIR.
 

    “It can be done only by the government,or thecomplainantwillhaveto go to court stating she has come to a compromisewiththe accused,”said a senior policeofficial, adding thatthefinaldecision restedwiththecourt. 

    TheGamdevi policehad registered a case of rash driving and negligence under sections279 and337of theIndian Penal Code (see box) and a few sections of the Motor Vehicles Act after Ruparel complained.   The offence of rash driving under section 279 is not compoundable under thelaw.It means a compromisebetween the complainant and the accused is not permitted,lawyerssaid.
 

    The offence under section 337 for ‘causing hurtto a person by a rash act’ is compoundable and can be settled at the behest of the person hurt, but only with court permission. However a January 2013 judgment of the Delhi HC held that even if an offenceunder section 337iscompounded,itdoes not preclude prosecution of the accusedunder section 279 for rash and negligent driving, an independent offence “against public safety”, punishableindependently of section 337.
 

    Once the police register an FIR — as was done in this case as both sections are cognizable — it has to investigate and file a chargesheet if there is evidenceof offenceor file a closure reportif thereis noevidenceor if the allegations arefalse,saidlegalexperts.
 

    Certain criminaloffencescan besettledor compromisedbetween the victim and the accused with the permission of the court. In such cases too, the application mustbe madebeforethecourt and a complainant has no power to withdraw an FIR.Itisfor thecourtto grant permission tosettlethecase and allow acquittal of the accused. Though the offence of rash driving cannot be “settled”, the courts have the power to quash the offence. Here, the accused would need to file an application beforethecourt.
 

    Around 1.30am on December 8, an Aston Martin owned by Reliance Ports hit Ruparel’s Audi on Pedder Road. The day after, 55-year-old Bansilal Joshi “confessed”tothe policehewasdriving the car. Recently, Ruparel identified Joshi asthe accused. She also gave a statement before a magistrate, saying she did not wantto pursuethecase.
 

GOING BY THE LAW Sections Applied in Accident Case
 

SECTION 279 IPC Rash driving on a public way Punishment Up to 6 months in jail or fine
Offences are… Cognizable | Needs an FIR to be registered Bailable | Police can grant bail after arrest Non-compoundable | Complainant cannot settle or arrive at a compromise with the accused. Case has to be tried before a magistrate
 

SECTION 337, IPC | Hurting somebody by committing a rash act Punishment | 6 months’ jail or fine Offences are… Cognizable | Bailable | Compoundable Person who is hurt can settle the case with court permission

The Times of India, December 28, 2013

Don’t wish to pursue case, says Aston Martin mishap complainant

RTO Frowns As Fancy Audi No. Reserved But Registration Not Done

Somit Sen TNN

    TOI enquiries in the RTO revealed that the number MH03 BJ 6666—as captured in photographs of the Audi 6 published on Thursday—had not yet been allotted to Phorum Ruparel by the Wadala RTO. The car owner had paid the “reserve price” for the special number 6666 and this amount (Rs 70,000) was deposited with the RTO on Monday. “The taxes may be paid through the dealer, but the car is not yet registered on that number,” a senior official said. 

    “We have paid all taxes and asked the RTO to register the vehicle in the new year (January 4). We are not taking the car out till then, so there should be no problem,” said Phorum. When told that fixing a number plate before registration was deemed illegal, she said she would abide by the rules once the RTO notice arrives. “As of now, we have not received any notice. If required, we will remove the number plate,” she said. 

    Ruparel has identified Reliance Ports driver Bansilal Joshi, or a person resembling Joshi, as the one at the wheel of the Aston Martin that rammed into her Audi and an Elantra on December 9. Joshi, 55, had approached the police later that day and “confessed” to driving the car. There were reports earlier of witnesses initially telling the police that they had seen a portly young man get out of the car after the accident. 

    “I don’t wish to pursue the case further because, according to police investigation, Bansilal Joshi was the accused,” she said. 

    When TOI visited Ruparel’s flat on Thursday afternoon, the new car with the number plate was found parked near the stilt area. Wadala regional transport officer B I Ajri confirmed a notice had been sent to the car owner for “unauthorized use” and the flying squad of the Wadala RTO was being alerted. “If the car owner does not comply, we can refer the matter to the local police station, which can prosecute the person under section 420 of IPC,” another senior officer said.
 

    The number 6666 was the same one in Ruparel’s old car (MH14 DN 6666). “We sought the same VIP number for the new car as it is our preferred number and have paid a premium amount for it,” Ruparel said. An RTO official said the money was received to “reserve” the number and it had not been allotted to the person till Thursday.
 

    Joining her daughter in dismissing talk of compensation, Ruparel’s mother said they belonged to an affluent family and were able to afford an expensive car. “So it should not surprise the media and one cannot jump to wrong conclusions that we are being compensated by Reliance. The new car has been purchased from our own money. Nobody from Reliance approached us,” she said.
 

REPLACEMENT AUDI BILL ALMOST 45L Cost of replacement car & fancy registration number New Audi 6 40lakh Tax amount 4 lakh Special number 70,000
 

REGISTRATION PROCESS The registration process involves submission of documents such as invoice, proof of residence, PAN card, tax papers, insurance documents, etc. In the present case, the car is not yet registered on the number MH-03-BJ-6666
 

INSURANCE PROCESS In case of collision, typically car owners claim from their own insurer. One can claim from the second car owner’s third-party cover, but such claims usually do not take place in India because it is cumbersome, requires spot survey and a chargesheet to establish blame and is settled by motor accident claims tribunal
 

When does insurance company settle for total loss?
    Insurance regulator has said a claim can be settled for a total loss if damages are over 75% of the insured’s declared value which is the limit of the company’s liability
    An insurance company can settle for total loss even if the damage is trivial when the vehicle is underinsured compared to market value
 

Can one get compensation and keep the damaged car? No. In case of a total loss compensation, the vehicle is always retained by the insurance company
 

Likely action for non-registration
    Illegal to display or affix number plate before the car is registered
    Amounts to cheating, car owner can get a showcause notice
    RTO can refer the matter to police and the person can be booked under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code
 

What the Ruparels say
    We have not received the RTO
    notice so far. If required, we will remove the number plate of the car. But we are not taking out the car from the building compound till we get the RC book from the RTO. We are law-abiding citizens and have paid all taxes for the car. We have bought this new car from our own money, and have also paid for the VIP number 6666, which has been our preferred number. (With inputs by Mateen Hafeez)

The new A6 at the Ruparels’ house; (left) the damaged A4 

 

The Times of India, December 27, 2013

‘Reliance driver or a person resembling him was driving Aston’

Mateen Hafeez TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: The Pedder Road accident earlier this month involving an Aston Martin witnessed a twist on Wednesday after the complainant, Phorum Ruparel, told a magistrate that Reliance Ports driver Bansilal Joshi, or a person resembling Joshi, was driving the Aston Martin that collided with two other cars—the Audi that she was driving and an Elantra. 

    Joshi had approached the police on December 9 and “confessed” to driving the car following speculation about the identity of the driver. There were reports of witnesses initially telling cops that they had seen a portly young man getting out of the Aston Martin. 

 

A new Audi at Ruparel’s home 

 

The Times of India, December 26, 2013

Bahrain envoy in city booked for molestation

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: The Malabar Hill police have registered a case of molestation against Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Khaja, consul general of Bahrain in the city, on the complaint of a woman working as a manager at his Nepean Sea Road housing society. 

    “We did not arrest him since he is a diplomat and enjoys diplomatic immunity. We have informed the ministry of external affairs (MEA) about the incident,” said a senior police official. The copy of the FIR and the victim’s statement have been sent to the MEA. 

    The 49-year-old woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, told the police that on December 9 the building elevator was shut for repairs. When Khaja found it shut he lost his temper and allegedly slammed its doors. The complainant alleged that Khaja, in a fit of rage, ransacked her office, touched her and used abusive language. This is the reason molestation charges were invoked against Khaja, said a police officer.

The Times of India, December 26, 2013

Cops may summon Joshi again, arrest him

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: Rumours of those affected in the Pedder Road Aston Martin mishap being “compensated” are doing the rounds, but the police denied any knowledge. The complainant could not be contacted for her version of events. 

    Asenior officer told TOI, “Complainant Phoram Ruparel’s statement has been recorded before magistrate Uday Ahire under section 164 of CrPC which is admissible evidence in court. Ruparel has identified 55-year-old Joshi as the Aston Martin’s driver. So far, the complainant was changing her statement. The CCTV footage was not clear and the mobile tower location did not establish who was driving the Aston Martin. Ruparel has told the magistrate about the driver’s identity.” 

 
    The accident took place on December 8; the Aston Martin collided with an Audi and an Elantra on Pedder Road injuring three. After Ruparel’s statement, cops are likely to summon Joshi again and arrest him. The police, who found the fingerprints of two persons in the Aston Martin, will now match them with Joshi’s. 

    Ruparel, a 25-year-old student, had complained to the police that the Aston Martin hit her car with such force that she lost control of her vehicle. The Audi jumped over a divider and hit a bus. “The Aston Martin then hit an Elantra and halted 30-35m away. A wheel of the car came off,” said the police. Ruparel is believed to have been compensated but the cops said they had no clue. 

Ruparel’s Audi that was damaged in the Dec 8 accident (top); the new Audi parked in her compund bears licence number MH03BJ 6666. RTO officials said this is the latest registration series 

The Times of India, December 26, 2013

One more held in 25cr land fraud

Mumbai: The city EOW on Saturday arrested a 42-year-old man, Niam-ul-Haque, in connection with a Rs 25-crore cheating and counterfeiting government stamp case. This is the second arrest in the case. 

    The EOW, on December 13, arrested a businessman, Ashish Shah, and showed his wife Aparna, Darayus Panthakey, partner of Phiroze M Dastoor & Co as wanted accused for allegedly conspiring to sell a 1,000-acre plot near Panvel, which was not in their possession, to a developer. The complainant, Rajendra Bajaria, deputy general manager of Sheth developers, told police, “The Shahs had created a false MoU to create an impression of having sold their land to Haque, who is shown to have paid Rs 1.25 crore. But receipts don’t indicate the mode of payment. Moreover, the MoU that appears to have been notorised before notary public N N Konkar does not bear any registration number.”
 
    The police may summon Mira Road property dealers in this case. — Mateen Hafeez

The Times of India, December 16,2013

Bizman held in 25cr land fraud, 3 more booked

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: The economic offences wing (EOW) has arrested a businessman in a Rs 25-crore cheating case. Ashish Shah, along with Darayus Panthakey, a partner in optical firm Phiroze M Dastoor & Co, allegedly conspired to sell a 1,000-acre plot to a developer without possessing it.
 

    Panthakey, Shah’s wife Aparna and their associate Niam-ul-Haque will be summoned for interrogation, said investigators. They have been booked under the Indian Penal Code for cheating, forgery and counterfeiting government stamps. Shah was produced at the Esplanade court on Friday and remanded in police custody till December 18. 

    The complainant, Rajendra Bajaria, deputy general manager of Sheth Developers, told the police that in 2008 the company (Sheth) was looking for land to develop a township near Panvel. “We came in touch with the Shahs through a real estate broker. Shah called us at Panthakey’s Santacruz office. During the meeting, Shah claimed that he had 200 acres spread across villages near Panvel. He said he had acquired the land by deed of conveyance, MoU, consent letters, power of attorney, etc,” said Bajaria in his FIR.
 

    “Shah claimed his party was in the process of acquiring 600 to 800 acres more and offered to jointly develop the land with us,” Bajaria said.
 

    As per the FIR, Panthakey promised to take responsibility if any defect or problem arose in the title of the land. Bajaria’s firm paid Rs 25 crore as token money. But while inspecting documents, his company found that the Shahs did not have full rights over the land. “At that time the Shahs and Panthakey promised to refund the token amount,” said Bajaria in the FIR. The Shahs issued a cheque, which bounced.
 

    “They knew that if they did not deposit the money as per court direction, their properties would be attached. So, they created third-party rights in favor of Haque. We suspect that Panthakey got counterfeit stamp papers and gave them to the Shahs for fabricating the deed of conveyance,” said a police officer. 

 

The  Times of India, December 14, 2013

Additional DGP burned badly at home, incident cloaked in mystery

IPS officer Ranjit Kumar Sahay

 

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai:An additional director general of Maharashtra police was hospitalized on Sunday with 55% burns after what the police described as an “unfortunate incident” at his official Malabar Hill residence. The tragedy was awash in questions, with the police formally not clarifying if it was a suicide attempt or an accident.
    Ranjit Kumar Sahay, a 1986-batch IPS officer posted with the Maharashtra State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation, was rushed to Bombay Hospital around 12.30am by family members and colleagues. He was mauled by fire about a halfhour earlier at his flat in Avanti Apartments, which is home to senior cops. 

    A person close to Sahay told the police he was busy with Ganpati puja when the incident occurred; the contention could not be verified. Nor could the police confirm reports that Sahay had had an argument with his wife.  

 

Senior cop had alleged irregularities in MSRTC

Mumbai: The Mumbai police have made a “diary entry” on the “incident” that led to the hospitalisation of senior IPS officer R K Sahay with 55% burns. He had not too long ago submitted an inquiry report detailing alleged irregularities in the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) during the tenure of its former chief, Deepak Kapoor, a civil servant of 1991 batch . 

    The doctor treating the senior cop, Dr Vinay Jacob, said he had suffered extensive burns; “his face, neck and scalp are the most affected. There are burn injuries on hands and abdomen too.” Dr Jacob said that Sahay was “quite critical, but what was most worrying was the inhalation burns”. “The incident probably happened in a closed room because of which his respiratory tract suffered major damage.” The burn wounds in the respiratory pipe had caused a swelling, which did not allow him to speak. The doctor said it could be at least 2-3 weeks before Sahay is out of danger.
 

    It was the hospital that first alerted the Azad Maidan police. Sahay was admitted to the ICU and at around 1.40am the Malabar Hill police were informed.
    The police stated in a press note: “An unfortunate incident has taken place at the official residence of R K Sahay. He has sustained burn injuries. He is not in a condition to give a statement.” Additional commissioner of police (south region) Krishna Prakash added, “We don’t know what happened. We have not spoken to the family.”
 

    An investigator said it is not known if the incident occurred in the bedroom or drawing room of Sahay’s flat. Nor is it clear if the cause was a gas explosion; no kerosene was found.
    An IPS officer said Sahay had looked disturbed recently. He was empanelled in February by the cabinet appointment committee, which happens only if there are no adverse remarks against an officer.   Sahay was recently in the news for the inquiry report he submitted on the alleged irregularities in MSRTC. He conducted the inquiry as MSRTC’s chief vigilance officer. He was promoted and transferred as additional DG two months ago. 

    Sahay reportedly was not comfortable working under a relatively junior Kapoor and the two had differences during their MSRTC tenure. In a recent meet of the IPS officers’ association, Sahay sought that it ask the government to ensure that IPS officers are not made to work under IAS officers junior to them.

    (With inputs from  Sumitra Deb Roy) 

 

 TRAGEDY STRIKES

RANJIT KUMAR SAHAY | He was born on September 25, 1961, in Bihar and joined the IPS in 1986. He had recently served as MSRTC’s chief vigilance officer and is currently an additional director general at the MSPHC 

 THE INCIDENT | He was rushed to hospital by family and senior cops living in his building, Avanti Apartments, at 12.30am on Sunday. He was admitted to the ICU with 55% burns that were caused in an ‘incident’ around midnight
IN THE NEWS | Sahay had recently submitted an inquiry report detailing alleged irregularities in the MSRTC during the tenure of its former chief, Deepak Kapoor. The two reportedly had differences during their MSRTC tenure 

 Khadse demands independent probe
 BJP leader Eknath Khadse has demanded an independent probe into the incident that led to the hospitalisation of R K Sahay. “I have asked the CM for a high-level probe. It should be entrusted with an independent agency,” he said. Khadse had met Sahay last Friday. “For the last six months, he was trying to meet home minister R R Patil, but the latter did not. During our meeting, Sahay said he had exposed alleged corruption in MSRTC. He gave me copies of letters he had written to the chief secretary on the MSRTC and the manner in which he was being harassed in Maharashtra State Police Housing Corporation”. — Prafulla Marpakwar

The Times of India, September 16, 2013

Bribery-accused top postal officer suspended again

M S Bali

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Manjit Singh Bali, who was appointed as chief postmaster general of West Bengal on November 4 after an 18-month suspension, was suspended on Tuesday by the department of telecommunications (DoT).

In February 2010, Bali (59), then the chief postmaster general of Goa and Maharashtra, was suspended after he was caught by the CBI for accepting a bribe of Rs 2 crore.

“A departmental inquiry has begun against Bali (a 1978 batch Indian Postal Service officer). DoT issued his suspension order at 2 pm on Tuesday,” said a source from the general post office.

The order stated: “He (Bali) shall not leave the Kolkata headquarters without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority.”

Bali had challenged his February 2010 suspension at the central administrative tribunal (CAT), which ordered his reinstatement on November 4 this year.

The government is likely to challenge the tribunal’s order in court.

An officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation said: “We had told the tribunal that he would influence witnesses and so opposed his reinstatement.”

According to the CBI, former Mira-Bhayandar corporator Rita Shah had approached Bali on behalf of a builder in January 2010 for an NOC to develop a 2,000 sq mt Thane plot worth Rs 4 crore. Bali’s NOC was required as 25% of the land was to be used for a post office.

A CBI officer said that Shah got a call from Arun and Harsh Dalmiya of the Watermark Financial Consultancy, Nariman Point, asking her to meet them at their office. “There they demanded bribe on Bali’s behalf. When Shah met Bali again, he confirmed the demand. Shah then approached us (the CBI), which recorded on camera Bali’s visit to the plot accompanied by the Dalmiyas.

“When Shah went to the Dalmiyas’ office with the money, we apprehended the father-son duo accepting it. At the same time, we told them to play along till Bali was trapped. So, Harsh Dalmiya called up Bali and told him that the money had been received. Bali asked him to hand over the money at a restaurant at Badhwar Park in Cuffe Parade. We caught Bali red-handed accepting the money stuffed in a black bag.”

CBI Caught M S Bali Accepting 2 Crore
FEB 24, 2010 | M S Bali, chief postmaster general of Goa and Maharashtra, is arrested, along with two others, for accepting a bribe of 2 crore

FEB 25 | CBI raids Bali’s residence and recovers 34 lakh in foreign currency, seven high-end laptops and 45 bottles of imported liquor

FEB 26 | Bali is suspended

FEB 27 | CBI finds Bali owns properties in Faridabad, Panchkula, Dwarka, Bhopal and Gurgaon, collectively valued at 1 crore. CBI also discovers 22 bank accounts belonging to Bali containing 26 lakh

NOV 4, 2011 | Bali is reinstated and appointed chief postmaster general of West Bengal

NOV 8 | Department of telecommunications issues suspension order, institutes departmental inquiry

The Times of India, November 9, 2011

Hasan Ali suffers paralytic stroke, ignored by jail authorities: Lawyer

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: Billionaire tax evader Hasan AliKhan,currently housed attheArthur Road jail, suffered a paralytic stroke on Thursday in his highly guarded special cell.Hislawyer,Ishwar PrasadBagharia, alleged that Ali was not provided any medicaltreatmentby thejail authorities.

Bagharia plans to move an application before a court on Monday in this regard.He,however,does not plan to attend the hearing, adding that he will wait for thecourt’sdirectionsin the matter.

“My client is dying in prison. Let him die. We want him to die,” quipped Bagharia sarcastically.

Terming the jail officials corrupt, he said, “All the jail officials are hand in glovewithJJhospital authorities. Why is Ali being given such shoddy treatment?” Hasan Ali has been kept at the Arthur Roadjailsincehis arrest.

When contacted, jail officials said that Ali has not suffered a paralytic stroke and that he was fine. On Saturday morning, Ali was taken to JJ Hospital. “He was brought to the hospital for various blood tests. He has been coming to JJ for thelasteightdaysbuthas notbeen admittedtothehospital yet,” saidDr Ashok Rathor, acting dean,JJHospital.

Bagharia, on the other hand, alleged that jail records were being manipulated toshowthatofficialshavebeen taking Ali tothehospital regularly.

“Due to the paralytic attack, his face has been left disfigured. The corrupt jail authorities are not doing anything to save him. We have sent a notice to the jail authorities and will be filing an application beforethecourt,” he added.

However, Bagharia claimed that he won’t appear in courton Monday. “My junior willbe going tothecourt,butwill not argue the case. Let the court decide the course of Ali’s treatment. It’s up to the court whether it allows his treatment or not,” Bagharia said.

The Times of India, October 30, 2011

Kasliwal walks free after five years

Rebecca Samervel | TNN

Mumbai: A sessions court on Wednesday acquitted Abhishek Kasliwal, the son of industrialist Ambuj Kasliwal, who was arrested for raping a 52-year-old woman five years ago.

At 12.15 pm, additional sessions judge S R Malpani-Pawar called 31-year-old Abhishek for the last time into the dock and said, “You are acquitted.”

The proceedings were conducted in-camera and the judge only pronounced the operative part of the order. A detailed order is expected in a week, the defence said.

Dressed in a pair of black trousers and a white shirt, Abhishek, who had walked in minutes before with a sombre face, exited the court room with palpable relief.

As he made his way out about 15 minutes later, Abhishek looked relieved and took another exit route to escape the media glare.

Abhishek has been out on bail since April 2006, a month after the alleged incident came to light.

In a major twist in the case, that saw the police facing the ire of the sessions court and Bombay high court, the victim went missing in October 2006. This prompted the public prosecutor in the case to step down, saying he would not be able to do justice as the victim was not traceable.

In June 2009, however, the victim was traced and she surrendered to Worli police.

The case broke out on March 11, 2006 and witnessed many twists and turns over the years. Shree Ram Mills scion Abhishek was accused of raping the woman on the night of 11-12 March 2006. He allegedly offered her a lift from Colaba to her home, but took her to the mill’s compound in Worli and raped her in his luxury sedan.

Kasliwal was arrested, charged with rape, assault and criminal intimidation, and was initially kept in custody. He was granted bail but the court barred him from entering the city limits.

The police filed a chargesheet in June 2006, in which it cited statements of witnesses who saw Kasliwal entering the mill compound with the victim on the night of the incident. The chargesheet also contained forensic reports and results of the narco-analysis conducted on Kasliwal.

The prosecution submitted a list of 48 witnesses, including the victim, who it wanted to examine in court. Abhishek’s lawyers, however, argued in court that it was not rape but “consensual sex”.

Abhishek Kasliwal’s car (above) in which the victim was allegedly raped and the entrance to the Shree Ram Mills compound

IT WAS A DAY OF VICTORY & DEFEAT

Swati Deshpande | TNN

Mumbai: One defence lawyer, two accused men, one charge, two separate victims, one acquital and one conviction, on one day. It was a day of victory and defeat for advocate Shrikant Shivade. He defended two rape accused—Abhishek Kasliwal and Shiney Ahuja. It was acquittal for Kasliwal and a notso-shiny future for Ahuja.

The two cases were three years apart.

Kasliwal (then 27) had been accused of raping a much older woman in the middle of a night outside in his car in 2006. Ahuja (38) had been charged for raping his much younger 18-year-old maid in his own bedroom on a sultry afternoon when he was home alone.
The evidence against both was largely in the victim’s statement. But while the judge did not find evidence enough to convict Kasliwal even though the ‘victim’ stuck to her statement and never turned hostile, the fast track judge in Sewree went on the basis of the FIR against Ahuja, not accepting the turn-around and denial by the maid later.

In the actor’s case, the victim was termed hostile for her “half-hearted” deposition during the in-camera trial. But her retraction was not accepted and the judge also relied on other forensic evidence to nail Ahuja for the sex crime. Ahuja, was held guilty of rape but acquitted of criminal intimidation and illegal confinement. The two accused arrived in court, their expressions grave. One left relieved, the other to re-live a life in jail.

The Times of India, March 31, 2011

Notings on Adarsh go missing from file

Yogesh Naik & Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: A fresh cloud of controversy has formed over the Adarsh Housing Society scam. At least four pages of a file dealing with the reduction of the width of Prakash Pethe Marg—the road that was cut down to make space for the tower—have gone missing. The pages contained notings by then UD principal secretary Ramanand Tiwari and former deputy secretary of UD P V Deshmukh. Incidentally, Tiwari’s son Omkar and Deshmukh were allotted flats in the building.
When contacted, Tiwari said: “I had asked for the papers a month ago from the UD department and even I do not have a copy of them.’’

The state urban development UD) department on Friday filed an FIR with the Marine Drive police, who registered a case of theft and destruction of key documents. On Saturday, the state government transferred the case to the crime branch.

According to sources, the file was last handled allegedly by a section officer with the UD. It was closed in 2003 and “kept in a cupboard belonging to one of the deputy secretaries with UD’’ from where the notings pages were stolen.

Missing pages came to light three weeks ago

According to the police, Gurudutt Madhukar Bajpe—a section officer with the UD department—lodged the complaint under Section 204 (destruction of a document to prevent its production as evidence) and Section 380 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code. Iqbal Shaikh, assistant commissioner of police (Colaba Divsion) said: “The entire file was missing since June 2010. It was found on November 1 and the UD department realized that four pages were gone.’’

UD officials confirmed that the theft was discovered on November 1. According to government sources, the National Coastal Regulation Zone Management Authority had called the heads of the UD, revenue and environment departments to Delhi to discuss the case. It was then that UD department officials discovered that the notings pages were missing. “A search was ordered and the entire department was scanned. After a massive hunt, the officials who were connected with the file submitted in writing that the key notings could not be traced,’’ said the source.

The police, however, said that their preliminary investigations have shown that the theft came to light only after an activist filed an RTI on the Adarsh case. “Somebody, we are investigating who, had asked questions through an RTI application. The answers to the questions were in the file. It was then that the UD realized the papers were missing.’’ The theft highlights the fact that the UD department does not have an organized or even secure filing system. Most of the files are in open cabinets or kept on the floor wrapped in red cloth, said a senior official.

Some department officials claim that they had asked the police to file an FIR as early as November 19, but fearing political repercussions, the cops only registered a case of missing documents. It was only after chief minister Prithviraj Chavan was briefed on the matter that it was decided an FIR should be filed.

The CBI said it was too early in the investigation to discuss the impact of the missing file on the case.

Commenting on the state government’s decision to transfer the case to the crime branch, a senior police officer said: “This case has several technical limitations pertaining to CRZ norms, revenue laws etc. A team, well versed with such issues, may be given the responsibility to investigate the theft.’’

The crime branch may set up a special team to head the case.

The Times of India, November 28, 2010

Sadhana meets top cop against bldr

SEEKING COP COVER: Sadhana (right) and Shaina N C at the police commissioner’s office near Crawford Market

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Yesteryear actor Sadhana, along with BJP leader Shaina N C, met police commissioner Sanjeev Dayal on Saturday evening and requested him to take stern action against a builder who has been harassing her. Last month, she lodged a complaint against the same builder, Yusuf Lakdawala, a fellow tenant in the Santa Cruz building she stays in.

Clad in a salwar-kameez, the recluse star came in her Santro to the commissioner’s office near Crawford market. “I am satisfied with what the police have assured me. I sought police protection as I live alone. I want that this harassment to a senior citizen like me should end,’’ Sadhana told reporters. “Sadhanaji is a widow and does not have any children. She lives alone. So, the authorities must ensure complete safety for her,’’ said Shaina.

Around a month ago, on August 13, Sadhana lodged a complaint against Lakdawala, accusing him of terrorizing her and not allowing her secretary to check the water tank on the terrace of their building, Sangeeta Bungalow owned by Asha Bhosle. She has been a tenant on the ground floor for several decades; Lakdawala’s family lives on the second floor and another family occupies the first floor.

Trouble started when one day, Sadhana had asked her secretary to check the tank on the terrace but the Lakdawalas allegedly did not let her, the police said. According to a source, Lakdawala wants to redevelop the bungalow and he has been pressuring Sadhana to vacate the house.

The Times of India, September 5, 2010

Mastan’s son to move HC seeking stay on film

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: A day after the city civil court refused to stay the release of the Ajay Devgn-starrer, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, Haji Mastan’s adopted son, Sundar Shaekhar, said he will approach the Bombay high court for a stay. Shaekhar had filed a suit in the court, seeking a ‘permanent order of injunction’ against the film produced by Ekta Kapoor. Shaekhar had said that his father was not a don and that making a film on his life with other anti-social elements will damage his image posthumously. The court, however, directed that a disclaimer clarifying that the film had no resemblance to the life of Mastan should be given at it’s beginning.

“I am consulting advocates and we will approach the high court for a stay on the release,’’ Shaekhar told TOI on Wednesday. “I am not satisfied with the judgment. In 2007, Bollywood personalities associated with the movie had said they were thinking about making a movie on the life of Mastan Mirza and were hunting for a suitable character for the role,’’ added Shaekhar.

Mastan, popularly known as Bawa, was allegedly a smuggler in the 1960s and 70s. He was born in the coastal town of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. Mastan became the first celebrity smuggler of the city, expanding his clout in the Indian film industry. As Mastan’s influence in Bollywood grew, he started to produce films. He was also known for his links with several bigwigs in the Bollywood. Mastan became a Muslim leader in 1984 after he floated a political party, Dalit-Muslim Surakhsha Maha Sangh in 1985.

After he came to Mumbai from Tamil Nadu, he started working on the Mumbai docks as a coolie (porter). From such humble beginnings, he became indispensable to the political leadership of Maharashtra.

The Times of India, July 22, 2010