Navi Mumbai: A 70-year-old NRI from London, who enjoys a pension of 4000 pounds by the US government post retirement as a taxi driver there, has been arrested by the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of Navi Mumbai along with a lady whose 10-year-old daughter was frequently raped and molested by the NRI.

According to police, the NRI used to buy them monthly groceries and helped them rent out a house against a heavy deposit, due to which the mother used to force her daughter to stay with the accused man during his every visit to India. He was arrested after an early morning raid at his house at Taloja on Friday.

The arrested accused has been identified as Farooq Allauddin Shaikh (70), originally from Puducherry but currently residing in London with his family. Two years ago, Shaikh had purchased a flat in Sector 20, Taloja, and would visit every few months for a few days. Shaikh is settled in the US with his wife and three children- all married. His two daughters work with a solicitor in the US, while his son, who got married recently, is settled in Bangkok. “One of his daughters also has a 10-year-old daughter, and the victim whom we rescued is also a 10-year-old girl,” a police officer who is a part of the investigation said.

While he had also visited India in the month of August for a few days, this time, he came on October 25. And after coming, he purchased groceries for the house of the victim. As per the investigations till now, the accused had started sexually abusing the victim along with another 15-year-old girl known to the victim, around two years back. He had helped the family of the 10-year-old to procure a house on rent against a deposit of Rs 2.5 lakh.

The AHTU received information from a reliable source regarding the sexual abuse that had happened with the girl in his flat, following which the team decided to raid the flat. “We got to know that the girl was sent to his flat on Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday, she celebrated her birthday at his flat and on Thursday night again, the mother dropped the child off at his flat. She was supposed to come pick up the child at 7 am when she brings breakfast for the accused, and hence we had to raid the flat before that, and we planned the raid at 5 am,” the officer added. Senior Police Inspector Prithviraj Ghorpade, Assistant Police Inspector Yogesh Deshmukh, and officers Nilam Pawar and Sarita Gude raided Shaikh’s flat on Thursday morning and rescued the child.

The police found four sex toys and Viagra pills in his cupboard, and one sex toy on the dressing table. They also found bottles of liquor, which the victim claimed that she was made to drink every time he abused her. The accused had become acquainted with the victim’s mother, who worked as a domestic help in the building and started offering monetary ‘helps’ in return for having her daughter at his flat. Whenever Shaikh visited India, the woman would send her 10-year-old daughter to his flat under the pretext of playing, police said.

“Both, the mother and the man, have been produced before the court and remanded to police custody till November 4,” senior police inspector Pravin Bhagat from Taloja police station said. The child has now been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Both the accused have been booked under Section of BNS and POCSO.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police have seized 1,342 kilograms of contraband and arrested 1,104 persons in connection with 906 drug-related cases registered across the city till September this year.

The total value of the seized drugs stands at a staggering ₹655.25 crore, marking a ₹170 crore increase compared to the same period last year.
Statistics revealed that ganja and mephedrone (MD) have been the most frequently seized narcotics in the city.

According to police data, from January to September 2025, authorities registered: 46 heroin cases, arrested 61 persons, and seized 2.01 kg valued at ₹5.98 crore, 19 charas cases, arrested 31 persons, and seized 23.25 kg worth ₹19.32 crore, 547 ganja cases, arrested 587 persons, and seized 1,049 kg worth ₹36.65 crore.

18 cocaine cases, arrested 30 persons, and seized 10.20 kg worth ₹76.90 crore, 211 mephedrone (MD) cases, arrested 290 persons, and seized 257.33 kg worth an enormous ₹513.23 crore.

Apart from trafficking, the police also registered 5,137 drug consumption cases, leading to the arrest of 4,284 individuals.

Officials said the department continues to strengthen its intelligence network and track illegal activity on the darknet, where drug deals often occur.

“We not only rely on our informant network to track drug trafficking in the city but also keep a close watch on the darknet, where deals take place clandestinely. Our efforts are focused on breaking the chain and dismantling syndicates involved in peddling,” said a police source.
He added that the department also conducts awareness campaigns to educate citizens, especially youth, about the health and social impact of drug abuse.

Heroin – Cases (46), Persons Arrested (61), Seized (2.01 kg)
Charas – Cases (19), Persons Arrested (31), Seized (23.25 kg)
Ganja – Cases (547), Persons Arrested (587), Seized (1049 kg)
Cocaine – Cases (18), Persons Arrested (30), Seized (10.20 kg)
MD – Cases (211), Persons Arrested (290), Seized (257.33 kg)

Navi Mumbai: The Panvel Taluka Police have arrested a couple who allegedly cheated several people of lakhs of rupees by promising to supply groceries, clothes, and household goods at discounted rates.

The accused, identified as Nawin Dhanaji Panchal (52) and Vidya Nawin Panchal (45), were arrested from Alandi in Pune and have been remanded in police custody till October 31 by the court.

According to the police, the Panchal couple rented flats in various housing societies across Panvel, where they initially gained the trust of residents by supplying groceries and household items at wholesale prices. Once they established credibility, they lured victims with offers to start a grocery business together, collecting large sums of money.

One such complainant from Panvel was cheated of Rs 5 lakh, after which the couple switched off their phones and vacated their rented home without delivering goods or returning the money.

Following a complaint, a case was registered against the duo under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Acting on technical intelligence, a police team tracked them to Alandi in Pune. Under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector Gajanan Ghadge, a team led by API Aniruddha Gije and PSI Harshal Rajput laid a trap and arrested the accused on October 27.

“During the investigation, we found that the Panchal couple used multiple mobile numbers, email IDs, and bank accounts to cheat people in the same manner in different cities. They were previously booked in similar cases in Nagpur and Kalyan and had been absconding. We suspect more victims may come forward as the probe continues,” said Senior Police Inspector Gajanan Ghadge of Panvel Taluka Police Station.

Police have appealed to citizens who may have fallen victim to the couple’s fraud to contact their nearest police station immediately.