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Honey-Trapping Scam Targets Men In Mumbai Through Fake Escort Services; Check How To Stay Safe

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After dating app scams, online escort services have become as a new way of duping men in Mumbai. These digital flesh trade dens, masquerading as legitimate websites, promise foreign escorts and vanish after receiving payments. One such website, posing as a ‘Web Blog’, lures victims by advertising women from countries like Africa, Australia, Japan, and Russia.

A prominent example is Massage Republic, a site claiming to provide commentaries on politics and human trafficking. However, it redirects visitors to a page offering escort services in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, and even international locations like Dubai, Bangkok, and Nairobi.

One of the people who was recently cheated after booking an online escort service from the website conveyed his ordeal to The Free Press Journal. He booked a Nigerian escort for Rs8,000 through the site. Directed to a hotel in Marol Naka, Andheri (E), he paid Rs2,000 upfront to the hotel manager. Inside the room, he was told to pay the remaining amount before the woman arrived. However, the woman who eventually showed up was not the one he had booked.

“When I confronted the woman, she demanded extra money to arrange for the same woman I had asked for. Sensing something was amiss, he refused, asking for a refund. The woman excused herself, claiming the money had to be recovered from the initial recipient, who had already disappeared. The hotel manager denied any involvement,” the man said on condition of anonymity.

The man claimed to have contacted the police but alleged that the police did not entertain his verbal complaint. However, he said that he did not want to be an official complainant fearing public humiliation and hardships in personal life. The Free Press Journal got connected with another man, a local from Mumbai, who had also booked services from a Nigerian national and was cheated in the same way. Notably, both the incidents happened in the same hotel located in Marol Naka of Andheri (E).

However, when one of the victims reached out to the Human Rights Commission, an NGO working on cases of human rights violations, the NGO’s Maharashtra vice president Roshan Pathak reached out to multiple women offering escort services through the website. He found out that all the Nigerian women denied to meet at any other place and pressed on meeting at the same hotel in Marol Naka where both the men were scammed.

“Normally, nobody would understand that there is an escort service website behind this blog. The women would reply on WhatsApp only after we provided them with a code received from the website. Although all the women demanded different prices ranging from Rs10,000 to Rs12,000, they would ultimately agree to Rs8,000 after negotiations. Similarly, Russian and Japanese women would call at their places in Bandra and Khar. This seems to be a new easy way of scamming men since they are vulnerable and do not speak out about it fearing shame,” said Pathak.

Modus Operandi…

Scammers create websites posing as blogs but secretly offering escort services

They advertise escorts of various nationalities (Nigerian, Russian, Japanese)

Victims are directed to specific hotels, like one in Marol Naka, Andheri (E)

Victims pay an upfront fee to hotel staff or directly to the scammers

A different woman shows up, demanding additional money to bring the promised escort

Excuses are made, and the initial contact disappears with the money

Victims hesitate to report the scam due to fear of social embarrassment

Interaction occurs via WhatsApp, accessible only through codes from the website

Crime

Thane Crime Branch Seizes ₹1.69 Crore Worth MD Powder; Man Arrested While En Route To Mumbra

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The Thane Crime Branch Unit One has arrested a man for allegedly possessing over 1 kilogram of MD powder, valued at ₹1.69 crore, which he intended to sell in Mumbra. The accused has been identified as Mohanlal Joshi alias Sharma, a resident of Kudus village in Wada, Palghar.

According to officials, acting on a tip-off received on July 18, a team was deployed near the Mumbra bypass flyover bridge, where the suspect was expected to arrive. The man was intercepted in his car en route to Mumbra. Upon searching the vehicle, the police discovered and seized 1.209 kilograms of MD powder, with an estimated value of ₹1,69,26,000.

He was taken to the police station, and a case was registered against him under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

An investigating officer from Thane Crime Branch Unit One said they are currently probing the source of the contraband and its intended recipients. Efforts are also underway to determine how many others may be involved in the case. Further investigation is ongoing.

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Maharashtra

Air India Flight From Kochi Veers Off Runway While Landing At Mumbai Airport Amid Heavy Rains

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Mumbai: A major tragedy averted on Monday as Air India flight, AI2744, from Kochi veered off runway at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport amid heavy rains in the city. All passengers are reported to be safe.

As per Air India’s spokesperson, the flight experienced heavy rain during landing, resulting in a runway excursion. The aircraft was taxied safely to the gate. All passengers and crew members deboarded the flight. The aircraft has been grounded for checks.

The hard landing reportedly caused damaged to the primary runway. Repair works are currently underway. Three tyres burst during the landing and the engine of the aircraft likely to have been damaged, Emergency teams were deployed to control the situation.

Visuals Of The Damaged Plane:

“An incoming aircraft from Kochi experienced a runway excursion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai at 09.27 hours on 21 July 2025. CSMIA’s emergency response teams were immediately activated to manage the runway excursion,” a spokesperson for CSMIA said, as quoted by the media house.

“All passengers and crew are safe. There are minor damages reported to the airport’s primary runway – 09/27. In order to ensure continuity of operations, the Secondary Runway 14/32 has been activated. At CSMIA, safety always remains our highest priority,” the CSMIA spokesperson added.

Mumbai Rains:

Heavy rains lashed Mumbai on Monday, throwing normal life out of gear. Waterlogging was reported in several areas, leading to traffic disruption, especially in western and central suburbs. Local train services were also affected due to heavy showers. Local trains on the harbour line were reportedly running 20-25 minutes late.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted more rains in the city during the week as the monsoon activity intensified. On Tuesday, moderate rainfall and overcast skies are expected, along with occasional thunderstorms. The overall temperature will remain mild, although humidity levels may remain steady.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai HC Acquits All Convicted in 2006 Train Blasts Case; Death Sentences Overturned

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Mumbai | July 21, 2025 — In a landmark verdict, the Bombay High Court has acquitted all 12 individuals previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai local train serial bomb blasts case, reversing the 2015 judgment of the MCOCA special court which had handed out death and life sentences.

The case (G.R. No. 05/2006, MCOCA Special Case No. 21/2006) pertains to the horrific series of bomb blasts that rocked the Western Railway suburban trains in Mumbai on July 11, 2006, killing over 180 people and injuring more than 800.

On September 30, 2015, the special MCOCA court had sentenced:

  • 5 accused to death,
  • 7 accused to life imprisonment,
  • while 1 accused was acquitted.

Following standard procedure, the death sentences were referred to the Bombay High Court for confirmation, and the convicted individuals filed appeals challenging their sentences.

A division bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice S. G. Chapalgaonkar heard the matter extensively from *July 2024, with final arguments concluding on *January 27, 2025.

On July 21, 2025, the High Court delivered its judgment:

  • Rejected the death reference,
  • Allowed the appeals of all convicted individuals,
  • Set aside the 2015 convictions and sentences passed by the MCOCA special court.

Representing the Government of India and the state of Maharashtra were Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Raja Thakare and Special Public Prosecutor Chimalkar, who argued for upholding the original verdict.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Maharashtra, has stated that it is currently analyzing the High Court’s detailed judgment. Consultations are underway with legal experts and special prosecutors to determine the next course of legal action, which may include an appeal to the Supreme Court.

The verdict has sparked significant public and legal interest, as it not only impacts one of the most devastating terror incidents in Mumbai’s history but also raises serious questions about the prosecution’s evidence and investigation.

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