Crime
ED Raids 14 Locations In ₹85-Crore Fraud Case Involving Former Lodha Developers Director
Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against former Lodha Developers Ltd director Rajendra Lodha and several others in connection with an alleged Rs 85 crore corporate fraud under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Officials said the agency carried out searches on Wednesday at 14 locations across Mumbai and Thane, including Worli, Ghatkopar, Borivali, Thane, and Dombivli, as part of its probe into alleged money laundering, unauthorised property sales, and financial irregularities. The searches covered premises linked to Lodha Developers Ltd, as well as residential and commercial properties of several associates and firms allegedly involved in facilitating fraudulent land and property transactions. Among the locations searched was the Dombivali residence and office of Vinod Patil, the brother of MNS leader and former MLA Raju Patil, who is also an accused in the case.
According to ED sources, the searches were aimed at tracing the alleged proceeds of crime and identifying entities linked to the suspicious transactions. During the operation, the ED seized several incriminating documents, financial records, and digital evidence, which are now being analysed to track the flow of funds and determine the ultimate beneficiaries.
The ED action reportedly stems from an FIR filed by Lodha Developers (now Macrotech Developers Ltd) in September, which alleged that Rajendra Lodha misused his position between 2013 and 2025 to defraud the company of around Rs 85 crore through unauthorised property sales, undervalued land deals, and illegal Transferable Development Rights (TDR) transactions, causing significant losses. Lodha was earlier arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch in connection with the case.
Investigators said the New Cuffe Parade project in Wadala has emerged as a key link in the alleged fraud. According to the FIR, Flat A/3603 in Tower 11, booked by Nilesh Chandrabhan Agarwal for around Rs 3.10 crore, was used in a forged agreement. Lodha and his son Sahil Lodha allegedly claimed that the company needed to pay Rs 3.03 crore to Agarwal to vacate land in Nitals village in Panvel, which he did not legally own. The amount was reportedly diverted in cash by the Lodhas, causing a direct loss of Rs 3.03 crore to the company.
The ED case also details multiple financial irregularities. In the TDR scam, 34 transactions totalling 7.15 lakh sq.ft. granted by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation were executed in cash at Rs 685 per sq.ft., significantly below market value, resulting in an estimated loss of around Rs 20 crore. Vinod Patil was one of the key conspirators in this case along with Lodha and his son. A 1.46-acre plot in Ambarnath’s Naharen village, was sold by Lodha for Rs 88 lakh without proper authority. The land, located on the proposed Virar–Alibaug multimodal corridor, was expected to earn compensation of about Rs 10 crore from the government. Ten months later, the buyer received Rs 10.88 crore, causing a loss of roughly Rs 10 crore to the company.
In another instance, a 4,150 sq.m. plot in Panvel’s Shirdon village, was allegedly sold by Rajendra and Sahil Lodha to their benami company, Usha Properties, for only Rs 48 lakh, resulting in a loss of around Rs 10 crore. Similarly, a 3,630 sq.m. plot in Panvel’s Bhopar village, was sold to a benami company, N.B.P. Agrotech Infratech LLP, at a price Rs 6.25 crore below market value.
In addition, a land repurchase scam involved company land registered in the name of a deceased employee’s wife, purchased through an associate for Rs 5 lakh and later sold back to Lodha Developers Ltd for Rs 2.65 crore, causing a further loss.
The search was underway till the time this report was published.
Crime
Thane Police Crack Dombivli Bar Murder Case Within 24 Hours, Arrest Six Accused After Film-Style Chase In Nashik

Dombivli: In a shocking incident, a 38-year-old man was brutally murdered following a minor altercation outside a bar in Dombivli MIDC area. The Manpada Police cracked the case within 24 hours and arrested six accused from Nashik after a dramatic, film-style chase through narrow lanes.
The arrested accused have been identified as Amar Rajesh Mahajan (36), Akshay Kumar Shankar Waghle (26), Atul Balu Kamble (24), Nilesh Madhukar Thosar (42), Prateek Singh Prem Singh Chauhan (26), and Lokesh Nitin Chaudhary (24).
The incident took place around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, November 9, near the entrance of Malvan Kinara Bar and Restaurant in the MIDC Phase 2 area. The victim, Akash Bhanu Singh (38), was stabbed to death following a dispute over an accidental push.
According to the complaint filed by Akash’s younger brother, Badal Singh, who works at a call center in Navi Mumbai, Akash had gone to the bar with his friends for dinner. As they entered, Akshay Waghle accidentally brushed against him. Although Akash apologized and explained it was unintentional, Waghle became aggressive, assaulted him, and threatened to kill him.
Soon after, Waghle called his associates to the spot. The six accused dragged Akash out of the bar, brutally assaulted him on the road, and stabbed him multiple times, killing him on the spot. When Sunil Kagale, a bystander, tried to intervene, the gang attacked him with knives as well leaving him injured.
The case posed a major challenge for police, as there were no immediate clues or CCTV evidence from the crime scene. However, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Jende, Assistant Commissioner of Police Suhas Hemade, and Senior Police Inspector Sandipan Shinde, the Manpada police team launched an intensive investigation.
A team led by Assistant Police Inspectors Sampat Phadol, Mahesh Rale-bhat, and Sagar Chavan used technical surveillance and local informants to trace the accused to Nashik. Acting on a tip-off, police teams coordinated with Nashik City Police and raided multiple locations. On seeing the police, the accused tried to flee, but officers chased them down in a cinematic-style pursuit through the streets and successfully arrested all six.
Thane Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre commended the Manpada Police team for their swift action and exemplary investigation that led to solving the murder case within 24 hours.
Crime
Jharkhand: CBI arrests postal inspector and assistant red-handed for taking bribe

New Delhi, Nov 13: In a major crackdown on corruption, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested a Postal Inspector and an Assistant from the main post office in Saraikela district headquarters, Jharkhand, while they were caught red-handed accepting a bribe.
The agency recovered cash and several incriminating documents during the operation. CBI officials are currently interrogating both accused.
According to sources, the CBI received a complaint alleging that the Postal Inspector and Assistant of the Saraikela Post Office had demanded a bribe from Ranjan Das, who had been selected for the post of Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS).
The officials allegedly asked for 20,000 in exchange for accepting his joining. Acting on the complaint, the CBI verified the information and laid a trap, successfully apprehending the duo while they were accepting the bribe.
Following the arrest, the CBI conducted searches at the post office premises and at the residences of the accused officers.
During these searches, officials recovered cash, official documents, and papers related to suspected financial transactions, all of which have been seized for further investigation.
The agency is also probing whether other postal employees or officials were involved in the bribery network. Preliminary findings suggest that complaints about irregularities in recruitment and document verification at the post office had been reported earlier.
Both accused are being questioned at the CBI’s regional office in Ranchi.
After completing the necessary formalities, they will be produced before a special CBI court.
This marks the second such action by the CBI in Jharkhand within a week.
Just five days ago, the agency’s Anti-Corruption Branch arrested Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) HR officer Deepak Giri in Khilari for allegedly accepting a Rs 50,000 bribe.
Giri had reportedly demanded Rs 1.5 lakh from complainant Roshan Kumar in exchange for a compassionate appointment following his father’s death earlier this year.
Crime
Banned drugs worth Rs 45 crore smuggled from Myanmar seized in Mizoram; two held

Aizawl, Nov 13: The Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with Mizoram Police, recovered highly addictive Methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 45 crore from Saitual district and arrested two drug peddlers, officials said on Thursday.
A defence spokesman said that based on specific intelligence about the movement of drugs on the Ngopa-Saitual road in northern Mizoram’s Saitual district, a joint operation was launched on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
The team of Assam Rifles established a vehicle check post, which intercepted the suspected vehicle carrying drugs at Ngopa.
During the search operation, 15 kg of banned Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 45 crore were recovered from two persons — Rabizul Haq and Naasiruddin, both residents of Barpeta in western Assam.
Recovered contraband, smuggled from Myanmar, along with apprehended individuals and their vehicle, were handed over to the Saitual district Police for detailed investigation and further legal proceedings.
As part of its continuous efforts to curb the spread of the drug menace in Mizoram, the Assam Rifles conducted yet another successful anti-narcotics operation, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with Assam Police, recovered heroin valued at Rs 4.65 crore from near Jhujang Pahar in Cachar district of southern Assam on November 11.
The November 11 drug seizure took place within two days in the same Cachar district.
The Assam Rifles, in a similar joint operation with Assam Police, recovered methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 6 crore on November 9. The banned methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba or party tablets, contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are commonly referred to as the ‘crazy drug’.
The highly addictive drugs are very popular among drug addicts in India, Bangladesh and the neighbouring countries.
Notably, Myanmar shares a 1,643-km-long unfenced border with four Northeastern states — Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland — which serve as a key transit point for drugs, particularly heroin and methamphetamine tablets.
At least six of the 10 districts of Mizoram — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip — share a 510-km border with Myanmar. Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and southern Assam have turned into major corridors for drug smuggling from Myanmar, with the illegal consignments being ferried to other parts of the country and abroad.
-
Crime3 years agoClass 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra1 year agoMumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra1 year agoMumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra1 year agoFalse photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News1 year agoMinistry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Maharashtra12 months agoMaharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News1 year agoJ&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface
-
Crime1 year agoBaba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
