Navi Mumbai: The Additional District and Sessions Judge at Belapur has sentenced two accused to life imprisonment in connection with a 2020 murder case that occurred under the jurisdiction of the Rabale MIDC police station. The convicts have been identified as Jisat alias Jisan Siddiqui and Lakshmi Rupesh Waghe.

Investigation revealed that Lakshmi Waghe was in an illicit relationship with Jisan, and together they conspired to murder her husband, Rupesh Waghe, who had become an obstacle in their affair.

Lakshmi Waghe, a resident of the Rabale MIDC area, was living with Jisan Siddiqui, with whom she shared an extramarital relationship. Frequent quarrels over this issue led to Lakshmi and her husband living separately. In January 2020, Rupesh visited his wife’s house to meet their daughter and discovered that she was living with Jisan. Angered, he confronted Lakshmi, which enraged both her and Jisan. The duo first assaulted him with fists and kicks, after which Lakshmi attacked Rupesh on the head and limbs with an iron sickle. Jisan then threw a cement block at Rupesh, attempting to kill him.

Rupesh sustained severe injuries and was admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Following the incident, the Rabale MIDC police registered a case against Lakshmi Waghe and her lover Jisan alias Jisan Siddiqui under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Sections 4 and 25 of the Arms Act, and arrested both the accused.

Then Police Inspector Anil Patil investigated the case and submitted the charge sheet to the Belapur Sessions Court. The trial was conducted in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge P. A. Sane. During the hearing, Special Public Prosecutor Yogendra Patil presented strong arguments and credible witness evidence, which the court accepted. On October 28, the court convicted both accused and sentenced them to life imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs 500 each, and in default, one month of simple imprisonment.

Senior Police Inspector Sunil Waghmare and Crime PI Kalpana Jadhav supervised the case. Police Sub-Inspector Ghodke (paravi officer), Court Constable S.N. Kamble, Rajesh Salgar, and Police Constable S.T. Shinde played key roles in ensuring the conviction through their dedicated efforts.

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)