Crime
₹400-Crore Money-Heist Case Transferred To CID After Review Flags Concerns Over SIT Probe
Mumbai: In a significant development, the alleged Rs 400-crore cash-heist and linked kidnapping case has been officially transferred to the Maharashtra State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on February 23, with the agency set to conduct a fresh investigation into the matter, senior officials confirmed. Administrative formalities for reopening the probe have been completed and the CID is expected to begin its investigation shortly. The move potentially overturns earlier findings that had termed the case fabricated.
The case was earlier investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik Rural Police, which, after roughly 25 days of investigation, concluded that the alleged robbery, along with the linked kidnapping claim, was “fictitious”. On February 12, the SIT filed a closure report before the Igatpuri Judicial Magistrate First Class Court, citing Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), according to court records, stating that the central premise of the alleged crime appeared fabricated and recommending closure of the case.
Sources at the state police headquarters said that an internal review at the senior command level examined aspects of the earlier probe conducted by the SIT and flagged what officials described as procedural concerns. According to senior officers familiar with the review, the findings indicated that the SIT proceeded with the closure proposal despite adverse remarks recorded by the Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) regarding the proposed invocation of Section 189 of the BNSS.
Sources added that the review raised red flags over the reported role of certain senior police officers in unofficial investigation-related activities linked to the case, questioned the unusually swift completion of the SIT probe within about 25 days, and scrutinised the grounds on which the arrested accused were allowed to walk free, citing absence of evidence.
Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Assar confirmed that the APP had expressed reservations over the closure proposal and that detailed findings from the review had since been communicated to the Inspector General (Law and Order), following which the process to transfer the investigation to the CID was initiated a few days ago.
The transfer was formalised through an official order issued from the Maharashtra Police headquarters in Mumbai on February 23, directing that the investigation in the case registered at Ghoti Police Station under relevant provisions of the BNSS be handed over to the CID.
The order instructed the Additional Director General of Police (CID) to take over the probe and ensure that the investigation is completed within the prescribed time frame and a report submitted to the headquarters. It further directed the Superintendent of Nashik Rural Police to immediately transfer the complete original case papers, including the case diary and all related documents and evidence, to the CID and submit a compliance report.
Officials said that following the issuance of this order, the CID has begun the process of independently reassessing the material collected during the earlier investigation. The agency is expected to re-examine documentary and electronic evidence, record fresh statements where required, and scrutinise the sequence of events surrounding the alleged cash movement as well as the circumstances in which the robbery and kidnapping complaint was originally registered.
SIT chief and Additional Superintendent of Police (Nashik Rural) Aditya Milkhelkar said the investigation had been conducted properly and without mala fide intention, adding that any departmental scrutiny or related inputs would also be placed before the CID. He maintained that he had not acted under any improper influence and denied wrongdoing.
The case surfaced after a Nashik-based businessman lodged a complaint at Ghoti Police Station alleging kidnapping, extortion and the disappearance of a large cash consignment purportedly worth around Rs 400 crore in demonetised Rs 2,000 notes. According to the complaint, the money was allegedly being transported from Karnataka to a Gujarat-based ashram in Ahmedabad for conversion into legal tender when the alleged heist took place on October 16 at Chorla Ghat along the Maharashtra–Karnataka border.
Given the scale of the alleged amount and the seriousness of the kidnapping claim, the probe was taken over by the SIT of Nashik Rural Police. During the investigation, officers examined call data records, vehicle routes, financial transactions and statements of persons allegedly connected with the transport and handling of the cash.
During the probe, the SIT arrested eight accused, including builder Kishor Sawla, alleged hawala operator Virat Gandhi, a Government Railway Police officer and others previously named in the case. However, after completing the investigation within about 25 days, the SIT filed the closure report under Section 189 of the BNSS, which allows a magistrate to release accused when no prima facie case is established. In its report, the SIT concluded that neither the alleged Rs 400-crore heist nor the kidnapping of the complainant had taken place and that no material was found to substantiate the allegations. The report cleared all accused, allowing them to walk free, with the court observing that no criminal role had been established against them.
Sources said the internal review at the DGP office also examined complaints alleging that certain senior officials may have participated in parallel or unofficial inquiry-related activities connected to the case. These aspects, officials indicated, are also expected to be examined as part of the CID’s fresh investigation.
Crime
Mumbai Cyber fraud in the name of online gaming, cricket betting and casino busted, five women also involved in interstate racket, transactions worth over Rs 25 crore

The Mumbai police have busted a gang involved in cyber crime cases, which was involved in fraud through multiple apps, including a gaming app.The Dongri police had registered a case under sections 319(4), 317, 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code, 2023 and sections 66(k), 66(d) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The investigation, carried out under a plan based on reliable and confidential information received by the Dongri Police Station Cyber Team, has uncovered an organised network providing mule bank accounts for cyber fraud.
During the investigation, it was revealed that bank accounts were opened in the names of the victims of financial fraud by luring them with profit and the passbooks, debit cards, cheque books, SIM cards, etc. of these accounts were taken into their possession and used for financial transactions of cyber fraud. The scope of the investigation was also expanded to Govindi, Mankhurd, Dongri areas of Mumbai as well as Belapur, Panvel and Osmanabad in Navi Mumbai.
Based on confidential information, a total of 03 accused were arrested during the investigation, who were identified as Nikhil Kamal Kumar Jaswani, age 28, Papriya, Hoshangabad district, Madhya Pradesh, Rahul Shyamalal Parwani, age 32, Madhya Pradesh, Jay Biharilal Tirthani, age 26, Katni, Madhya Pradesh. Apart from this, a total of 05 wanted accused have been found in the investigation so far and Their search is on. Among them, 03 women have been issued notices under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Naya Samhita.
Their names are Jyoti Patil Jaya Donge Nisha Donge, residents of Lallubhai Compound, Mankhurd. During the investigation, 42 bank passbooks, 70 debit cards, 36 SIM cards, 23 mobile phones, 03 laptops, 09 tabs, 12 bank kits, 01 motor car have been seized from the arrested accused so far. A total of approximately ₹40 lakh worth of property has been seized. Technical analysis of the information contained in the seized digital devices is being done, which is likely to reveal more individuals and transactions related to this network. 28 cyber crimes/complaints revealed from 17 bank accounts out of the total 990 bank accounts seized during the investigation. So far, information of 17 bank accounts out of the 990 bank accounts seized has been obtained from the respective banks.
After investigating the financial transactions in these accounts, available technical information and cyber crimes/complaints registered in various states, it was found that 28 cyber crime suspects registered in various states across the country are associated with these accounts. Investigation of the remaining accounts is likely to reveal more crimes, suspicious financial transactions and networks of related individuals.
The following cyber crimes are also registered against them in several states including
1) Maharashtra-02, including Nairopolis Police Station, Thane District-01, Khadeshwar Police Station, Thane, Navi Mumbai-09
2) Karnataka-09
3) Telangana-06
4) Delhi-02
5) Madhya Pradesh-02
6) Uttar Pradesh-05
7) Kerala-02
8) Tamil Nadu-02
9) Gujarat-02
10) Jammu and Kashmir-01
11) West Bengal-03 Due to this, the investigation of this crime registered in Dongri Police Station has not been limited to Mumbai only but has reached various states of the country.
Financial transactions worth Rs 254.9 crore
According to initial information, financial transactions worth about Rs 254.9 crore have taken place in the 17 bank accounts concerned in a period of one and a half to two months. An in-depth financial investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the money, direction of the transaction, beneficiary accounts, related persons and its link to cybercrimes. Effective action by Dongri Cyber Team against cyber criminals With an effective combination of intelligence gathering, technical investigation, tracing of bank transactions, analysis of digital evidence and direct action, Dongri Cyber Team has taken effective action against an international network misusing mobile bank accounts for cyber fraud. This action has helped significantly in tracing the chain of financial transactions in cyber fraud and exposing the interrelationship of related crimes in different parts of the country.
Important appeal to citizens; Citizens should not give their bank account, passbook, debit card, cheque book, SIM card, mobile phone, OTP, PIN or internet banking information to others for use by anyone. If you notice suspicious transactions in your bank account, immediately contact the concerned bank and inform the police. This information was given by Mumbai DCP Manish Kalwane at a press conference held in Dongri today. This operation was carried out by ACP Tanveer Sheikh and Dongri Senior Police Inspector under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti.
Crime
Mumbai: Bank manager arrested for defrauding NRI elderly citizen by stealing gold from bank locker in Kandivali area

The police have claimed to have arrested a bank manager who stole gold from a NRI bank in Mumbai’s Kandivali area. According to details, on August 12, 2026, Pradeep Motiram Bhatia, age 74 years, profession retired, address: Flat No. 512, Oha Metha Road, Dubai. 602 Jyoti Park, Ambawadi, Kandivali (West), Mumbai in India filed a complaint at Kandivali Police Station. The details of the complaint are that the complainant has been residing in Dubai with his family for the last 52 years.
On 22nd March 2024 at 3:00 PM, the complainant had deposited various gold ornaments weighing 610 grams and worth ₹81,80,000/- in a locker at IndusInd Bank, MG Road, Kandivali (West), Mumbai, for safekeeping and returned to Dubai. After about 2 years, Bhatia came to the bank to collect his ornaments. At that time, he found that all the ornaments had been removed from his locker. In this regard, a case was registered at Kandivali Police Station under Section 316(5) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) No. 1095/2026.
Since the offence had been committed for about 2 years, there were difficulties in obtaining CCTV footage and other technical investigation. Information was taken about the bank staff at that time and the procedure for allotment of lockers. The bank account details of the then Assistant Branch Manager of IndusInd Bank, Kuldeep Ramchand Sahani, aged 35, Room No. 1389, Santosh Nagar, Shri Krishna Nagar, Goregaon East, near Gurukul School, Mumbai, were obtained. In this, financial transactions worth Rs. 9 crore were found in his bank account in about 2 years. These included large-scale transactions with gold-broking companies.
After checking all his transactions, he obtained photographs of the gold ornaments mortgaged from the mortgage companies and got the complainant to confirm. When it was proved that these ornaments belonged to him, the accused was immediately arrested and the fraud committed against the complainant was exposed by confiscating 610 grams of gold weighing 610 grams and worth ₹81,80,000/- from the complainant’s belongings within 4 days. This was informed by DCP Sandeep Goge in a press conference today.
Crime
Kolkata building fire: Leaseholder of one of nine hotels arrested, two detained

Kolkata: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kolkata Police probing the fire incident at a multi-storey building on Mirza Ghalib Street in Central Kolkata, which claimed nine lives, has arrested one person, said officials on Thursday.
Each floor of the said building had separate hotels or guesthouses, and the source of the fire was one such hotel, “Shikha Inn”. The person arrested by the city police this morning has been identified as Abu Zafar, who had taken the hotel on lease from the original owner, Bireshwar Mitra.
Zafar was arrested from his residence in Jorasanko, North Kolkata. He will be presented at a city court later in the day, and the public prosecutor will seek his police custody.
Mitra, the original owner of the hotel, is still absconding. Besides arresting Zafra, the members of the SIT have detained two other persons, reportedly staff of the hotel, for questioning. However, the city police are yet to disclose their identities.
The State Fire Services Department has issued show-cause notices to nine other hotels and four restaurants on Mirza Ghalib Street for non-compliance with safety regulations. They have been asked to respond within the next 24 hours.
The five-storey building on Mirza Ghalib Street housed multiple hotels and guesthouses, with each having shacks. Hotel ‘Shikha Inn’ was on the third floor of the same building, covering an area of 1,100 square feet.
There had been numerous allegations of irregularities at this hotel. The hotel caught fire late Tuesday night. Nine people lost their lives in the fire.
The West Bengal government has announced a detailed special audit of all hotels, lodges and guesthouses in the Mirza Ghalib Street area following the incident.
The New Market Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the building falls, has registered a suo motu case. The State Fire Services Department has also lodged a separate complaint.
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