3 Taloja jailors, clerk suspended for assaulting murder accused

TNN | Sep 22, 2018, 02.48 AM IST

 

MUMBAI: Three jailors and a clerk from Taloja jail were suspended after an inquiry report found them guilty of assaulting a 30-year-old murder undertrial in January.

The inmate, Mahendra Singh alias Zorawar Singh Bajwa alias Mitthu Balkan Singh, a Gurgaon resident, was sent to Taloja jail on charges of murdering the former chairperson of Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Meenakshi Jaiswal, at her Kharghar residence in December 2014. Jaiswal, 46, was wife of Malegaon sessions court judge Santosh Jaiswal.

Those suspended are jailors Atul Kale, Maheshukar Mali, Amit Gurav and clerk Paravin Salunkhe.

The assault incident dates back to January 2, when Singh had an argument with another inmate over switching off the ceiling fan in the barrack. This led to a heated argument between the two. Later, Kale summoned Singh and shouted at him over his behaviour. The jailors told the inquiry panel that Singh argued with them and a few fisticuffs were exchanged. But Singh, in his complaint, alleged that the police personnel had demanded money from him for providing him ‘good place’ in the jail and when he refused, they beat him up. He fractured his leg and was admitted to the jail hospital after the incident, police officials said.

Singh then approached the Bombay high court and sought a probe into the assault. The HC directed the director general of prisons to probe the matter. After the inquiry was concluded, the three jailors and a clerk were suspended last week. In addition, a default report against three more jailors —Prakash Pikrao, Bapurao Mote and Srinivas Patakal—has also been submitted. “Action against the trio is likely soon,” said a jail officer, adding that it may be in the form of stoppage of increment. “Their direct role in the assault case has not been established, but it has been found in part of it,” added the officer.

Singh was first arrested by the Gurgaon police after he murdered his neighbour. He was in Haryana jail and was later granted bail. While on bail, he moved to Kharghar where his sister lived and started hunting for a job. But he came in contact with a robber gang and in December 2014, along with Jaiswal’s domestic help Vinayak Chavan and one more accused landed at her Kharghar residence. The police said that Chavan waited downstairs while Singh and the third accused entered the flat. The duo slit Jaiswal’s throat and fled with valuables worth Rs 2.5 lakh. Later, the police arrested Singh and Chavan, who had hatched the robbery-murder plan.


The Times of India, September 22, 2018

Man held for abusing female guard who stalls entry to maternity ward

Mumbai: : Agripada police arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly abusing, threatening a female guard posted outside the maternity ward of BYL Nair Hospital on Sunday evening. Muzammil Dhanas had come from Mumbra for his wife’s delivery. 

Assistant inspector Yasmin Mulla said, “Dhanas’s wife was admitted to the maternity ward. It was doctors’ visiting hours and cleaning was on. The patients’ relatives were told to wait outside. Dhanas, who had gone to get medicines for his wife, returned and wanted to enter the ward.”

When BMC-appointed guard, Meena Raut stopped Dhanas, he got furious and smashed the glass door, police said.

“He abused Raut and the glass pieces caused abrasions on Dhansa and Raut’s faces. He threatened to beat up Raut. By then, other guards and hospital staff gathered and police were called in. We are questioning the accused,” said an officer.

He was booked for outraging the modesty of a woman, creating obstacles in discharging the duty of a government servant and criminal intimidation. He was also booked for mischief causing damage to public property under Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Two years back, guards had been deployed when there were cases of assault on doctors by patients’ relatives.

—Mateen Hafeez

The  Times of India, September 18, 2018

Material for 50-60 bombs brought to city from Pune

Mateen.Hafeez@timesgroup.com

 

Mumbai: After recovering chemical powder during the raid in Nalasopara last month, the ATS had sent it to the state forensic science laboratory (FSL) at Kalina for chemical analysis. A report submitted by it has confirmed that the powders are explosive by nature. Besides 18.5kg of a grainy, white powder, there are 150gm of nitrate and 3.5kg of aluminium powder—both used to create impact in explosions—1.5kg charcoal powder (used as a catalyst for burning) and 1.9kg sulphur (to enhance the burning energy). 

The chemical powders were enough to make 50-60 bombs, sources said. The entire raw material was stored in Pune, however, since there was no immediate plan to prepare bombs and cause explosion, it was shifted to Nalasopara. The material would make low-intensity bombs, which are unlikely to cause widespread damage or loss of lives, but could have fanned terror.

The expiry of the bombs depends upon the climate, humidity, etc of the place where they are stored. “The seized bombs will be destroyed with court’s permission,” the sources said.

The ATS, which busted the terror module last month, has so far arrested nine suspects, including Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and former corporator Shrikant Pangarkgar, termed as the chief fund raiser. They were planning blasts in five cities in the state, like Mumbai, Pune, Satara, and Sholapur, and had drawn up a hit-list of prominent personalities, including rationalist Narendra Dabholkar’s daughter Mukta, activist Shyam Manav, and NCP MLA Jitendra Ahvad.

The group wanted to target those who spoke against Hinduism or portrayed Hindus in a poor light, said police sources. “Most of the accused were social media-savvy and were very active. We are scanning their social media profiles and posts. It will give us more information about the suspects and their ideology,” said a source.

The Times of India, September 15, 2018
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Bike used by Lankesh killers seized by ATS

Prafulla.Marpakwar@timesgroup.com

 

Mumbai: A year after journalist-turned-activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead at her house in Bengaluru, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad led by IPS officer Atulchandra Kulkarni has identified the vehicle used by her killers. 

A senior IPS officer on Friday told TOI that the motorcycle used by the assailants has been identified and would be handed over to Karnataka’s Special Investigation Team. “During the investigation after huge explosives were found in a house in Nalasopara, a motorcycle was found on the outskirts of Maharashtra. We submitted specific details of the vehicle to the SIT. It was confirmed that the vehicle was used by the assailants for killing Gauri Lankesh. The vehicle will be handed over to the SIT after completing legal formalities,’’ the IPS officer said.

The IPS officer said one of the accused has confessed that he shot dead Gauri Lankesh on the evening of September 5 last year. “We are in constant touch with senior IPS officials associated with Karnataka’s SIT and there is exchange of information. As a result, there was progress in the investigation. The SIT has so far detained 10 suspects in the Gauri Lankesh murder case. The probe may reach a conclusive stage soon,’’ he said.

The Times of India, September 15, 2018

With bomb cache, plot to hit ’18 Sunburn unearthed

Mateen.Hafeez@timesgroup.com
 

Mumbai: Different chemical powders weighing 24kg seized from the Nalasopara house of arrested gau rakshak and Sanathan Sanstha sympathizer Vaibhav Raut are explosives and were enough to make 50-60 bombs. 

The Anti-Terrorism Squad had seized 22 bombs, each weighing 500-600g, from Raut’s house. Investigators are now focusing on the larger terror conspiracy, and a senior IPS officer said the popular Sunburn music festival, set to be held in November-December 2018, was also in the crosshairs of the busted terror module.

The electronic dance music festival attended by lakhs is held near Pune. The ATS had told the court that the group planned to target the earlier edition of Sunburn, held on 28-31 December, 2017, as they consider it “anti-Hindu”, but developed cold feet. The seized bombs were assembled a month before the Sunburn fest last December, said a source.

The Times of India, September 15, 2018

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: 2 held from Jalgaon kept tabs on those they felt were anti-Hindu

Mateen.Hafeez@timesgroup.com

 

Mumbai: The two terror suspects arrested from Jalgaon had kept tabs on several people who they felt spoke against Hindu religion or made films depicting the religion in poor light, the state anti-terrorism squad (ATS), probing the Nalasopara arms haul case, informed the holiday court on Sunday. 

While seeking custody of Liladhar Lodhi (32) and Vasudev Suryavanshi (29), the police informed the court that they had seized three bombs from them and they wanted to interrogate them to find out the terror conspiracy plot and who were on their target list. The police, however, did not name the persons who Lodhi and Suryavanshi kept tabs on. The holiday court remanded the duo in police custody till September 17.

Earlier, the ATS had arrested five men in the arms haul case. Four of them, including gau rakshak Vaibhav Raut, are in judicial custody, and one has been taken into custody by the CBI for his role in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar’s murder case. While going through the police case diaries, the court had observed that Dabholkar’s daughter Mukta, NCP MLA Jitendra Ahwad and activist Shyam Manv were on the hit list of these five terror suspects.

Besides three bombs, the ATS had seized some explosives, mobile phones, four pen drives and number plates of two vehicles from Lodhi’s house and a DVD, three pocket diaries, mobile phones and a pen drive from Suryavanshi’s residence. They are probing if the number plates were used in any crimes earlier. A sniffer dog from the bomb detection and disposal squad helped detect the explosives at Lodhi’s home. “The explosives and bombs have been sent for chemical analysis,” said an ATS officer, adding that they suspect that the duo may have hidden more bombs.

The police told the court they also want to probe if Lodhi and Suryavanshi were planning any terror activity in Nashik or Jalgaon. Sanjeev Punalekar, the defence lawyer, pointed out that his clients were in ATS custody since three days and this should be considered by the court while deciding on the number of days for police custody. But the police argued that they wanted to establish where the duo got the explosives from. “It’s a big conspiracy...We are getting several names and verifying the details to establish if they have any role to play in this terror conspiracy plot,” said an ATS officer.

The Times of India, September 10, 2018