Navi Mumbai: The Crime Branch Unit-3 has arrested a jewellery store driver for allegedly staging a robbery and siphoning off gold ornaments and cash worth Rs 5.90 lakh in Panvel.

The accused, identified as Shailesh Dilip Kamble (38), an employee of B.B. Banthia Jewellers, had falsely claimed he was robbed by two unidentified men near Khanda Colony railway bridge on September 11.

Police said Kamble was assigned to collect jewellery and cash from the company’s offices in Khanda Colony and Kalamboli. Instead of delivering it, he allegedly hid the valuables inside the dickey of his electric TVS iQube scooter.

Later, he fabricated a story that two men on a Pulsar motorcycle, wearing helmets, had accosted him at knifepoint and snatched the ornaments and money. Based on his complaint, a case of armed robbery was registered at Khandeshwar Police Station.

A parallel investigation was carried out by Crime Branch Unit-3 under the supervision of ACP (Crime) Ajaykumar Landge and Senior PI Avinash Kaldat. During the probe led by API Pawan Nandre, PSI Abhaysingh Shinde, and their team, several discrepancies were found in Kamble’s statement.

No suspicious movement or persons were seen at the alleged crime spot, further raising doubts. On sustained interrogation, Kamble confessed to staging the robbery and handed over the jewellery hidden in his scooter.

“The accused tried to mislead police by staging a dramatic robbery, but his version was full of inconsistencies. He finally admitted to the crime and the entire amount has been recovered,” said ACP (Crime) Ajaykumar Landge. Police said Kamble has been arrested and further investigation is underway.

Mumbai: The Mumbai State Urdu Sahitya Academy is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year and the Mahayuti government has not kept its promise by providing only Rs 1.2 crore in the Golden Jubilee year. Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi East Raees Sheikh has alleged that the state government is deliberately discriminating against minority institutions. MLA Sheikh has also demanded Rs 50 crore from Minority Affairs Minister Manekrao Kokate.

Giving details in this regard, MLA Raees Sheikh said that under the government decision on Thursday, a minor fund of Rs 1 crore 20 lakh has been distributed to the Urdu Sahitya Academy for organizing the Golden Jubilee program and a minor fund of Rs 11 lakh 76 thousand for the establishment of the academy.

I had a meeting with the then Minority Affairs Minister Dattatreya Bhar on July 8, in which a permanent fund of Rs 50 crore will be kept for the academy for a period of 50 years. It was also assured that the academy would be given a grant of Rs 5 crore every year. A letter was sent to the current Minority Affairs Minister Manikrao Kokate in August, demanding a fund of Rs 50 crore for organizing various programs for the golden jubilee year of the academy.

The state government has violated all the provisions of the meeting by providing meager funds in the government decision published yesterday. The number of Urdu speakers in Maharashtra is 75 lakh and 25 Urdu dailies are published. Urdu is an Indian language. While the Urdu Sahitya Academy is celebrating its golden jubilee this year, it has once again highlighted that the Mahayoti government is treating the minority community with contempt by providing meager funds. MLA Rais Sheikh said that in this regard, we will seek cooperation from Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Mumbai: In a swift operation carried out by the Thane railway police, a two-year-old boy, kidnapped from nearby KEM Hospital, was rescued in several hours from the clutches of the abductor, while he was fleeing on the Tutari Express. The accused, Amol Udalekar, 42, had befriended the child’s family during their stay outside the hospital and later took the boy along on the pretext of a stroll, said the police.

According to the FIR, the child’s mother Antima was admitted to the ICU of KEM Hospital due to respiratory issues. Her husband, Ajaykumar Harijan, 25, who hails from Shastrinagar, Surat, and currently resides in Bhiwandi, was staying with his mother and two children, in an open area near the hospital’s old building.

On the night of September 16 around 9.30pm, Harijan discovered that his two-yearold son was missing when he returned after visiting his wife. His mother informed him that a man, who had been frequently playing with the child over the past few days, had offered them a food parcel and taken the child away on the pretext of a stroll. Despite searching the hospital and surrounding areas, the child could not be located, prompting Harijan to file a complaint at the Bhoiwada police station.

According to the police, Udalekar was nabbed following a tip-off – received by the railway control room at CSMT – reporting a suspicious man traveling with a child in S-2 coach of the Tutari Express, which runs between Dadar and Sawantwadi. Acting promptly under the guidance of senior inspector Archana Dusane, a team, comprising officers Dhumale, Tajne, head constable Gopal, and constable Tichkule, apprehended the suspect late night at the Thane station.

During interrogation, it was confirmed that the child had been kidnapped from the premises of KEM Hospital earlier that evening. A case had already been registered against Udalekar under section 137(2) [related to kidnapping] of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and he has been handed over to the Bhoiwada police for further probe. Following the rescue, the child underwent a medical examination and was then placed under the care of the Janani Ashish Charitable Trust in Dombivli.

Investigation revealed that Udalekar had planned to flee to his native village in Sindhudurg. Police are currently probing his background and motive behind the abduction.