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Mumbai News: CBI arrests SoBo developer in connection with ₹280 crore fraud with SBI bank

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Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested Harresh Mehta, a prominent developer from South Mumbai and director of Rohan Lifespaces Ltd, in connection with a fraud case. The case involves an alleged scam of Rs 280 crore, defrauding a leading public sector bank. The arrest was carried out by the CBI’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Mumbai.

Details on the case

The CBI’s EOW Mumbai unit initiated the probe in 2016 based on a complaint filed by the Thane branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) against the directors of Rajput Retail Ltd (RRL), Vijay Gupta, and Ajay Gupta. The complaint stated that the accused directors conspired with unknown government servants and availed three loans from the bank using forged documents, resulting in a fraud of Rs 280 crore.

Involvement of Harresh Mehta in the case

During the investigation, the role of Harresh Mehta from Rohan Lifespaces Ltd and Rohan Constructions Ltd emerged. The CBI conducted searches at Mehta’s offices and residences, as well as at Ruby Mills Ltd. It was revealed that loans totaling Rs 155 crore were sanctioned for the purchase of premises in a building called The Ruby.

Legal proceedings in the case

Mehta is currently in judicial custody, and the CBI had submitted a chargesheet in the case in July 2018. Mehta’s lawyers argued against extending his custody, claiming that he had cooperated fully with the agency. They also contended that Mehta was not involved in forgery, fabrication of documents, or cheating, asserting that his arrest by the CBI was unlawful.

Another case taken over by CBI recently

In another development with the investigative agency, the CBI has taken over the investigation of a graft case wherein an Income Tax officer had allegedly demanded a bribe from a doctor for not taking action on a complaint against him for non filing of income tax returns. The accused was caught red-handed by the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in December 2020 while accepting a bribe of Rs10 lakh from the complainant.

Crime

Palghar Crime: Group Brutally Assaults 24-Year-Old Man Near Moregaon Talao In Nalasopara; Attempt-To-Murder Case Registered

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Palghar, Maharashtra: Police have registered a case of attempt to murder after a 24-year-old man was brutally assaulted late Saturday night near Moregaon Talao in Nalasopara (East).

FIR Details and Identity of Victim

According to the FIR lodged at Tulinj Police Station, the victim, identified as Pratik Prasad Waghe (24), was attacked around 11:30–11:50 p.m. on August 23 by a group of men following a dispute related to a woman.

The complainant, Pritam Dike (34), a relative of the victim, told police that the accused, identified as Bhushan Patil, Sanket Patil, Swarup Meher, and 4–5 unidentified men, cornered Waghe near the Vasai-Virar Municipal Hospital, and assaulted him with fists and blows aimed at his head. The attackers also abused him and allegedly tried to kill him during the assault.

Two Arrested, Hunt for Others Continues

Police have arrested Bhushan Patil and Sanket Patil, while the search is on for the remaining accused. The case has been registered under sections 109, 189(1), 189(2), 191(2), 190 and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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Crime

Palghar News: Chemistry Teacher Arrested Under POCSO For Sexual Assaulting Teen Student In Nallasopara

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Palghar: Another shocking incident of a teacher sexually assaulting a teen student has come forward from Palghar. Authorities have taken a teacher into custody for supposedly assaulting a 16-year-old female student at a private tutoring centre in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, an official stated on Monday.

As per the victim’s report, the 42-year-old suspect, a Chemistry instructor at the coaching centre in the Nalla Sopara region, summoned her for an additional class on Saturday afternoon and took her to his office at the facility, where he purportedly assaulted her, the official stated, as reported by PTI.

The following day, the instructor tried to photograph the victim in class, but she evaded it, stated the official from Nalla Sopara police station. Her parents soon reached the class, seized the accused, and delivered him to the police. The victim claimed that the accused had previously made advances toward her as well, PTI reported.

According to the complaint, the suspect was apprehended on Sunday and charged under section 74 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intention to insult her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with clauses of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the police reported.

Another Incident

A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped multiple times by five individuals over three months in central Mumbai. Police arrested a 25-year-old man and detained four juveniles related to the case. The situation came to light when the girlfriend of one accused confronted the victim.

After her parents checked her phone and discovered videos and messages about the relationship, they reported the matter to the police. A case was filed against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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Crime

CBI dismantles transnational cybercrime network targeting US nationals, three arrested

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New Delhi, Aug 25: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), under its ongoing Operation Chakra-IV, has dismantled a sophisticated cybercrime network that defrauded US nationals of nearly $40 million and arrested three key accused, an agency statement said.

The action was carried out in close coordination with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The arrested have been identified as Jigar Ahmed, Yash Khurana, and Inder Jeet Singh Bali.

According to the CBI, between 2023 and 2025, the accused gained unauthorised remote access to victims’ systems and bank accounts by posing as tech support providers.

They convinced US-based victims that their accounts were compromised and manipulated them into transferring money to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by the gang, the statement said.

The CBI registered the case on August 18 and launched extensive searches across Amritsar and Delhi. A major breakthrough came when investigators raided an illegal call centre — Digikaps The Future of Digital — being run at Global Tower, opposite Khalsa College for Women, Amritsar. At the site, 34 people were caught red-handed while engaged in cyber fraud activities.

The searches led to the seizure of 85 hard disks, 16 laptops, 44 mobile phones, incriminating digital evidence, and Rs 54 lakh in cash. Documents and additional electronic devices linked to the fraud were also recovered.

CBI investigations revealed that the accused had been funnelling proceeds of crime through cryptocurrency transactions.

Further operations are underway to trace the money trail and identify other members of the transnational cyber-enabled financial crime network, the agency said.

The probe is also pursuing international leads in coordination with Interpol and other foreign law enforcement agencies, the statement added.

The CBI noted that Operation Chakra-IV has significantly disrupted and dismantled this organised cybercrime syndicate.

Investigation into the broader network and on international leads is ongoing.

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