Mumbai: Amid the ongoing investigation into the tragic Kurla BEST bus accident that claimed seven lives, a shocking video has surfaced showing a BEST bus driver allegedly purchasing liquor while on duty. The incident reportedly occurred in Andheri West’s Versova area and was captured on video.

Video Shows Driver Buying Liquor

The clip shared on X by a user named Raj Maji, shows the driver halting an air-conditioned BEST bus, route A-259, which operates between Gorai Depot and Andheri Railway Station, outside a liquor store. With passengers still aboard, the driver is seen exiting the vehicle, purchasing liquor and returning with it onto the bus.

Following the release of this video, MNS leader Sandesh Desai commented on the Kurla accident in another video, drawing comparisons to this recent footage. Desai questioned the authorities about the measures they would take against such reckless behaviour.

7 Killed In Horrific Kurla Accident

This video has emerged just two days after the horrific accident in Kurla on SG Barve Road, where a BEST bus plowed through a bustling market. The crash, which occurred on Monday night, resulted in seven fatalities and left several others injured. The bus rammed into multiple vehicles and crushed people in its path, causing widespread devastation and grief.

Accused Driver Was Drunk, Claim Eyewitnesses

Initial reports from the Kurla incident suggest that the driver, identified as 54-year-old Sanjay More, may have been intoxicated during the crash, according to an IANS report. Eyewitness accounts have also raised suspicions of alcohol influence. However, investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the tragedy, with authorities probing potential brake failure and human negligence.

Sanjay More, who operated the bus leased by the Kurla Bus Depot, was arrested and booked on charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He was produced in court on Tuesday, where he was remanded to police custody until December 21.

Days after comedian Sunil Pal was kidnapped near Meerut, actor Mushtaq Khan has revealed that he too was kidnapped in a similar fashion on November 20. The actor’s business partner stated that Khan was tortured for 12 hours before he could escape.

Khan’s business partner Shivam Yadav stated that the actor was called for an award show in Meerut on November 20. He even received the advance payment in his bank account and flight ticket details. However, when the Stree 2 actor landed in Delhi, he was made to sit in a car, which was then driven to the outskirts of Delhi, near Bijnor, and the actor was kidnapped.

The report stated that the Welcome actor was kidnapped and tortured for 12 hours, and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore. They then took Rs 2 lakh from the actor and his son’s account.

The next morning, Khan heard azaan at the place where he was held captive, and realising that a mosque was nearby, he managed to run away from the place and reached the mosque. He then sought help from the people there, who contacted the police, and Khan managed to return home.

Yadav said that they are now in the process of filing an FIR and they have all the proofs of flight tickets, bank account transactions and CCTV footage from outside Delhi airport. “Khan also recognises the neigbhourhood, even the house where he was kept. I think the police team will surely get the culprits soon,” he said.

It was only last week that comedian Sunil Pal was invited for an event in Delhi, but was then kidnapped and taken to Meerut. He was eventually let go after he paid a ransom of Rs 7.5 lakh.

Mumbai: During the financial year 2023-24, DRI seized 1,319kg gold across the country in multiple cases, with the land route contributing 55% of the seizures and the air route around 36%. According to DRI data, smuggling syndicates have increasingly employed carriers to transport smaller quantities of gold, reducing potential losses in case of interception.

“Gold smuggling in India has evolved with smuggling syndicates now employing ‘mules’ with diverse profiles, including foreign nationals and families, alongside insiders. Smuggling syndicates even leverage international departure gates, where airport workers and other staff collude in smuggling gold from transit passengers. Air routes into India also remain a prominent method smugglers use, with Middle East and Southeast Asian countries traditionally being the major points of origin. Recently, airports in certain African and Central Asian countries have also emerged as key locations for smuggling operations,” the DRI stated in its report.

“India has become a major destination for illicit gold imports, with gold and silver predominantly originating from Gulf states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where these metals are sourced and available at lower prices. Smuggling through India’s porous eastern borders, particularly with Bangladesh and Myanmar, has also emerged as a major concern for law enforcement agencies. Gold is smuggled into India through two primary methods: commercial smuggling, where export and import schemes are exploited to evade duties, and outright smuggling, where gold is concealed to avoid detection. Smuggling networks are highly organised, and the use of complex routes and well-coordinated operations makes gold smuggling into India a persistent challenge for enforcement agencies,” the report stated.

“Smugglers frequently use passengers to conceal gold innovatively, including hiding it in their clothing, luggage, or even within their bodies, to evade customs detection. Gold in bar and solid form remains a prevalent method of smuggling into India. Smuggling gold in paste form continues to be a significant challenge. Smugglers melt pure gold, adulterate it with impurities, transform it into a solution, dry it, and then convert it into a paste. This paste form is easier to smuggle, often disguised as harmless substances or hidden within legitimate goods,” the report stated.