Crime
Bollywood financer, Mumbai realtor Yusuf Lakdawala dies in custody

Prominent realtor and Bollywood financer Yusuf Lakdawala, who was arrested for grabbing a plot of land belonging to legendary author Mulk Raj Anand, passed away on Thursday due to cancer complications, officials said.
Lakdawala, 76, was nabbed by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in 2019, and later by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 2020 in connection with the land-grabbing of the plot owned by the late writer in Khandala hill station.
Lodged at the Arthur Road Central Jail, he was admitted to the jail hospital and then rushed to the Sir J. J. Hospital for treatment but succumbed this morning.
In August, Lakdawala’s lawyer Abhinav Chandrachud had sought bail on medical grounds to enable him to get proper treatment in a hospital, and submitted his latest medical report to the court suggesting the cancer had spread to other parts of his body.
The jail authorities had in the past taken him to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital to check for the relapse of cancer which had been cured around 12 years ago.
Opposing the bail plea, ED counsel Hiten Venegaonkar had argued that instead the court could direct the jail authorities to provide the necessary medical treatment to the accused in custody.
The jail authorities had submitted that they would arrange for all necessary treatment required by Lakdawala.
First nabbed by the EOW when he was trying to flee to London from Ahmedabad International Airport, he got bail but was rearrested in a money-laundering case registered by the ED in the same case and was in the jail since then.
The EOW alleged that Lakdawala had forged documents to help him grab the huge Khandala plot of Anand – who died in 2004 – by counterfeiting signatures on the papers dating back to 1949.
In 2010, he was also accused of allegedly encroaching upon the properties belonging to late actress Sadhana in Santacruz, but was later acquitted in the case.
Crime
Mumbai Drug Bust: 24-Year-Old Arrested In Byculla With Mephedrone, Charas Worth ₹3.46 Crore In Car

Mumbai: In a major anti-drug operation, the Mumbai Police arrested a 24-year-old man in the early hours of Wednesday and recovered a large quantity of narcotics valued at over Rs 3.46 crore. The accused, identified as Sahil Junaid Ansari, a resident of Bhiwandi in Thane district, was intercepted while driving through the Byculla area of South Mumbai.
Accused Found Driving Suspiciously In Byculla Area
The incident occurred around 4 am when a team of patrolling constables, Bhabad, Bhoye and Gangurde, spotted a Maruti Ertiga car moving suspiciously near Hume Church on B.A. Road. The team flagged down the vehicle and questioned the driver about his presence at that odd hour. Ansari, however, failed to give a satisfactory response, raising the officers’ suspicions.
Alerted by constable Bhabad, night duty in-charge Police Inspector Anup Dange immediately reached the location with PSI Kolekar, PSI Asade from the Anti-Terror Cell and other detection personnel.
Details On Drugs Found In Car
A detailed search of the vehicle was conducted, during which the police found 1,710 grams of Mephedrone, commonly known as MD, concealed inside. The street value of the seized MD is estimated at Rs 3.42 crore. Additionally, 17 grams of charas worth Rs 4.5 lakh were also recovered from the car.
Police officials confirmed that Ansari has been taken into custody and booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The contraband was seized and sent for forensic examination.
Crime
Karnataka KRIDL Office Assistant, Once A Sweeper, Found With Properties Worth Over ₹100 Crore

Bengaluru: A sweeper, turned outsourced office assistant at the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation (KRIDL) in Koppal district has been the owner of properties worth over Rs 100 crore.
The shocking revelation came after the Karnataka Lokayukta raided the KRIDL office in Koppal, following a complaint against the Chief Executive Engineer Z M Chincholikar that there has been misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 72 crore in the works taken up between 2022 – 2024.
However, during the raid, the Lokayukta police grew suspicious over the office assistant Kalakappa Nidagundi of Bandi village in neighbouring Yalaburga taluk. Both Chincholikar and Nidagundi were immediately suspended and the search operations continued. However, Chincholikar managed to obtain a stay from the KAT and has been transferred to Davanagere.
During the search operations, the Lokayukta police stumbled on interesting facts about Kalakappa Nidagundi. He started his career as a sweeper in the KRIDL office, Koppal. Later in 2003, he was registered as an outsourced employee and made the office assistant. Since then, he has been the office assistant of the Koppal division.
While investigating the Rs 72 crore misappropriation in 108 works taken up by KRIDL during 2022-2024, the Lokayukta police realised that Kalakappa Nidagundi was the mastermind of the scam. The Lokayukta police decided to go after the property he had amassed and were shocked to see that he was owning two luxurious cars, along with other properties, which is worth over Rs 100 crore.
According to Lokayukta police, Nidagundi has 24 houses in Koppal and Bhagya Nagar near Bagalakot. He has over 40 acres of farmland in the name of his wife, brother and brother-in-law. Besides, he owns over 50 housing plots in places like Bandi, Hitnal, Huligi and Yalaburga. The Lokayukta police have seized two cars, two bikes, 350 gms of gold and 1.5 kg silver from his house, which were unaccounted for.
Crime
Burglary Cases Surge In Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, And Thane; Police’s Strategy Busts Chaddi-Baniyan Gang

Recently, there has been a rise in housebreaking cases in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane, which has resulted in a coordinated police initiative that led to the capture of the infamous Chaddi-Baniya gang. Significantly, law enforcement captured two siblings by employing an ingenious strategy that involved a water truck to ensnare them.
This group had created anxiety in the neighborhood, as their actions were frequently hard to track. Investigations showed that the gang leased a house and utilised a path through a different city during their heists, making detection more difficult.
A significant development occurred when authorities discovered that the gang leader’s brother was imprisoned at Yerwada jail, leading to additional investigations into the gang’s familial ties. This directed them to a chawl in Sabe village, where the gang was believed to live.
Law enforcement formulated a strategy to collect additional information by delivering water from a tanker, earning the confidence of the community. Ultimately, a group of 25-30 officers encircled the chawl and apprehended the suspects, recognized as Shahaji Pawar and Ankush Pawar, hailing from Kalamb in the Dharashiv district.
In the meantime, the Pimpri Chinchwad Police Crime Branch celebrated another major success by capturing members of a gang that had robbed an industrialist in the Nigdi Authority region, recovering valuables valued at Rs 6.15 lakh following a 11,200-kilometre pursuit in Rajasthan.
Similar Incident
A 37-year-old history-sheeter, Mohammad, was arrested for a shooting incident in Dharavi, Mumbai, where Sarvar Begum Shaikh, 32, was injured while shopping. The incident occurred on July 27 at 90 Feet Road. Sarvar was shot in the hand, and after surgery at Sion Hospital, her condition is stable.
Initially unaware of the injury, she realised something was wrong when blood started to flow. Police are investigating whether she was a random victim or caught in crossfire, reviewing CCTV footage, and examining Mohammad’s potential link to other crimes. A case was registered under relevant laws.
-
Crime3 years ago
Class 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra10 months ago
Mumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra10 months ago
Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra10 months ago
False photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
Crime10 months ago
Baba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
-
National News10 months ago
Ministry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Maharashtra9 months ago
Maharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News11 months ago
J&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface