NCP’s damage control exercise

Monday, April 05, 2010
By Pradeep Gupta

Concerned over the increasing use of its political banners by miscreants, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has formed a committee to keep a tab on miscreants from defaming the party.

Several incidents were reported in the media where people with criminal backgrounds were liberally using NCP hoardings, by portraying themselves as party leaders or activists.

The Agriapada police had recently arrested four persons, including builder Dinesh Jain, for submitting forged documents to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to bag the BIT Chawl redevelopment contract, wherein he had submitted some fake consent letters.

Jain had installed large hoardings across the BIT Chawl, stating that he had been appointed as the Joint secretary of the Mumbai NCP by party Chief Sharad Pawar. BIT residents had claimed that some residents, considering his position, had signed the consent letter for redevelopment.

Talking to the ADC, Narendra Verma, Mumbai NCP president said, “Jain has no connection with the party. The committee will keep an eye on such miscreants at the district and taluka levels, to prevent the party from being defamed.”

In the past

This is not the first time that such an incident has occurred. Earlier, Pascal D’Souza, an ex-NCP leader, had thrown a party for a Chhota Rajan aide, which was attended by a few policemen, of which five were suspended. Later, the NCP had issued a clarification stating that Pascal had been dismissed from the party long ago, but was misusing the party’s name for his own vested interests.

TURF WAR

Chelas move in to cover gaps left by D Company, Chotta Rajan

By Pradeep Gupta

Just one month after advocate Shahid Azmi’s murder by the Bharat Nepali gang, and with renewed threats to city-based lawyers by alleged Ravi Pujari aides, there is speculation by investigation agencies that the two gangs are locked in a competition for power and fame. Incidentally, both Nepali and Pujari were henchmen of former boss, Chhota Rajan.

It may be recalled that Pujari worked for Rajan, and had parted ways with him in 2000, setting off a major spilt in the gang. Pujari and Guru Satam were both trusted aides of Rajan, until the abortive attack on Rajan's life in Bangkok by a team sent by Dawood's right-hand man, Chhota Shakeel in September 2000. Nepali moved out only seven months ago to start his own outfit.

In 2005, Pujari made headlines when two of his gunmen fired at leading criminal lawyer Majid Memon, outside his residence at Almira Road in Bandra. Memon escaped unhurt. In a similar attack in June 2006, Pujari’s aides opened fire on the office of Mahesh Bhatt. No one was injured.
In both instances, Pujari himself called up the news channels and took responsibility for the attacks, claiming that he would kill all those connected with the Dawood and Chhota Shakeel gangs.

Crime Branch officials say that Bharat Nepali is responsible for the killing of Nepal-based media baron Zamim Shah, who allegedly used to shelter Dawood’s aides in Nepal. Shahid Azmi was also fighting cases of persons accused in bomb blasts. Nepali who claims to be a patriot, became famous in the seedier sections of society and is attracting jobless youth. Not to be outdone, Ravi Pujari has begun targeting advocates like Ashok Sarogi, who has been fighting cases of alleged gangster, Abu Salem.

Chhota Rajan is reportedly ailing for years now, and is losing his hold on the gang. Taking advantage of this, Nepali and Pujari are out to prove themselves in the underworld in a fight for supremacy.

Crime Branch admits Ravi Pujari ahead in the race
Even as emerging gangster Nepali, who started his gang just seven months ago, got his share of abundant media attraction, he is still far behind the Pujari gang.

According to Deven Bharti, Additional Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, “Nepali who wanted to established himself in the underworld, suffered a major blow when our team arrested four members of his gang for the Shahid Azmi killing, including sharpshooter Devendra Jagtap alias JD.Bharat Nepali doesn’t have many gang members inside the city, and he is still not so powerful as Ravi Pujari.”

Man killed his younger brother over a dispute to charge mobile handset

By Pradeep Gupta (Exclusive)

A man killed his younger brother over a dispute involving charging a mobile handset. The shocking incident took place in Biwandi on Thursday.

The Kumbharwada police have arrested Govardhan Vanjari for allegedly killing his brother. Local residents said disputes over charging mobile handsets are common in the area due to power cuts for long hours but this is the first time someone got so much enraged that he killed his own brother.

At around 11pm on Thursday, Govardhan and Nandu, both brothers, came to charge their mobile handsets in their home. Both were in a hurry but the problem was that they had only one mobile charger and they began arguing.

After a heated exchange, Govardhan began beating up his younger brother Nandu Vanjari. The latter was hit badly and he fell on the floor and died on the spot.

The incident left their family in shock. Residents say that if Bhiwandi gets sufficient power supply such type of incidents in the area would not occur.

Ravi Shinde, a local resident from the area, said: “In my knowledge it is the first incident which took place in our area but we think that this happened due to power cut which is a daily affair for more than 12 hours.”

The brothers lived in Baktul building in Padma Nagar in a joint family. Their family is well-known in the whole area.

Sub-Inspector Chandrakant Thorat, from Kumbharwada police station, said that “on a complaint lodged by Nandu’s wife, Vandana, we have arrested Govardhan and booked him for murder.”

While accused Govardhan had confessed in his police statement that he was not intentionally murder his brother it was just a shocking incident.

Police arretsed two boy's who claims to close relative of Ex Chief Minsiter Tamilnadu

By Pradeep Gupta

The Khar police arrested two high profile criminals whom no one can believe that they are criminals who duped a businessman of Rs 5 lakhs. The arrested Rohan Sukhawa (19) and Rameshkumar Kamraj (21) both used to show that they are the sons of a union cabinet minister and a close relative of Ex chief minister of Tamilnadu and for the same they used to roam in the area in a BMW car with to seven private security guards, reside in posh building and wear costly gold chains. The cheats have taken all this facilities at rent and used to pay Rs 18,500 for car and Rs 7,000 as flat rent per day.

According to Khar police officials, duo cheated a businessman named as Kamlesh Jain (28) promising to sell them three Honda Accord car and took an advance amount of Rs five lakhs. The duo accused hailing from Bangalore has been roaming in the area in their BMW car and frequently bought costly cloths from Aura showroom. As they have been showing that they are grandsons of M Karunanidhi ex CM of Tamilnadu.

On July 10, a business Kamlesh Jain came to visit the showroom owned by his friend who introduced both the accused with him as a rich man and have political connections. Later after some discussions, duo offered Jain to sell three Honda Accord of 2008 model. Jain decided to pay them the token amount of Rs 5 lakhs and remaining to be given after the car is delivered in Mumbai. Between July 13 and July 18 Jain paid them Rs five lakhs on a written promissory note over a fake letter head of Balaji Constructions and Infrastructures India, Dubai and Thailand.

Since after the deal Jain several times used to ask them about the deal and delivery of the car but the duo accused used to postpone the date. After getting doubtful Jain made complain with the Khar police station who latter nabbed both the accused from the Khar area.

K M M Prasanna, the deputy commissioner of police said, “We have booked the accused under section 465, 468, 471, 420 and 34 of IPC and both have been remanded to police custody till July 27.”

However during investigation Khar police also find that these people have cheated to many people in the Chennai.

Lovers’ suicide sparks row in Bhiwandi

By Pradeep Gupta (Exclusive)

A family’s objection to a love affair between a 16-year-old girl and a 21-year-old youth led to a tragic double suicide on Monday.

Karishma Madan Patil of Bhiwandi’s Vadgar village was in love with Kalpesh Bahiram Patil, 21 for some time. When Karishma’s family came to know about her affair and stopped her from meeting Kalpesh, she committed suicide by hanging herself.

Her grief stricken family angrily set out in search for Kalpesh. They smashed the Chinese food stall that he owned before setting it ablaze and also destroyed his motorcycle. After registering a complaint with the Bhiwandi Gramin Police about Karishma’s suicide, a mob then proceeded towards Kalpesh’s village in order to teach him a lesson at his home.

However, before the police and Karishma’s family could reach Kalpesh’s hamlet, he had already committed suicide. His family told the police that on coming to know about Karishma’s suicide, Kalpesh locked himself in his room and hanged himself.

There was tension between both the families but any untoward incident was averted because of the police presence. Late on Monday night, the police sent the bodies for post-mortem, but to different hospitals. While Karishma’s body was sent to the nearest Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Kalpesh’s body was sent to the Thane Civil Hospital. Police continued to maintain a full bandobast at the village.

After the post-mortem, Karishma’s body was cremated late on Monday night, while Kalpesh’s cremation was done on Tuesday morning in the same crematorium.

Kalpesh’s family has lodged a complaint with the Bhiwandi Gramin police alleging that Kalpesh committed suicide because the girl’s family had destroyed his stall and were coming to kill him.

Talking to this reporter, Senior Police Inspector Y.R. Bhagwan said, “The girl’s age was only 16, because of which her family objected to her affair, but she committed suicide.We have registered an FIR against the girl’s family members and investigation further in this sensitive matter.”

Police unaware of deadline, yet to file report on senior citizens

By Pradeep Gupta (Exclusive)

The Maharashtra government is spending crores of rupees on modernization of the police department in order that they can accomplish their tasks smoothly. But the police work itself is slow and shoddy. After a spurt in cases of murder of senior citizens, Commissioner of Police D. Sivanandhan had issued instructions to all police stations to make a report of the number of senior citizen living in their jurisdiction. The report was to be submitted to the DCP Operation at the CP’s office by July 6.

In the last six months, nine senior citizens were murdered. The CP had asked local police stations officials to personally visit the homes of the senior citizens, meet them and record all their details. The shocking fact is that still none of the local DCPs has submitted this report to the police headquarters as yet.

The circular has also asked the local police to verify the characters of the vendors like milkmen, newspaper vendors, drivers, domestic helps, etc of the senior citizens and if possible, with photographs and submit the same to the police headquarters. The circular issued to all the police stations has asked the police stations to record the contact numbers of the neighbours of the senior citizens to help them in times of emergency.

The police chief has asked the police stations to provide all the details handy with the Beat Marshals and order them to visit the senior citizens at least once in a week. The senior citizens have also to be informed about the helpline numbers 103 and 1090.

The local police stations have been ordered to arrange a meeting with all the housing society officials and if possible to convince them to install CCTVs for surveillance and to also keep a record of all the visitors to their societies, with the vehicles numbers of the visitors. The societies have been advised to install bio-metric system too.

The senior police inspectors has been asked to keep a vigil against dacoits, thieves, gangsters in their areas who have previous records of crimes in the last five years, through their detection staff. In addition to this, they have been asked to act against those found roaming suspiciously in the localities where senior citizens live.

Meanwhile Sivanandhan told reporters, "It is our main priority to provide security to senior citizens with a fearless atmosphere and we are doing all our best to minimize crime in the city."

More than 14 days after the deadline, DCP officials have failed to submit the report to the DCP operation in police headquarters. Shockingly, when contacted, Amar Jadhav, DCP Operation, was surprised and said, “I have to check about such a circular.”

Three arrested in piracy business

In a major breakthrough of pirated CD business in city. The Oshiwara police have arrested three people from the Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar area who were doing the business in all over the country.

The police are arrested Pramod Jadhav, 21, Prashant Roy, 25 and Prasanjit Mandal, 21. Out of three accused Pramod is the student of software engineering at Navi Mumbai.

According to Dattatray Sankhe, Police Inspector from Oshiwara Police station said, on 13th July of this month our police officer Assistant Police Inspector Rajesh Tadvi got information that one person is selling pirated CD at Behram Buag area at Jogeshwari acting on the tip off police carried the raid and arrested Zakeer Ansar Sheikh, 20 years.

After producing Zakeer’s to the Andheri court the police managed to get police custody till 17th June. During Zakir, introgation police got information that the he used to buy the CD from the Kharghar area.

On description of the Zakeer police carried the raid at Sector12 of Kharghar at building number 12 and nabbed three people raid handed. During raid police recovered DVD, MP3 and CD of worth rupees 25 lakhs including lap top and computers. Police seized total two trucks CD from the spot.

However in this incident two people still absconding out of which one main accused that was operating the whole business.

“The gang used to operate business in Maharashtra, Gujrat and South’s many states” said Dattatray Sankhe.