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
Delhi Police nabs two vehicle thieves, 4 stolen two-wheelers recovered

New Delhi, July 1: In a significant breakthrough against motor vehicle theft, an alert patrolling team of Delhi Police arrested two vehicle thieves and recovered four stolen two-wheelers from the accused, police said on Wednesday.
An official statement said that a team of Daryaganj Police Station, which was on routine patrolling duty on the intervening night of June 26 and 27, noticed two suspicious persons riding two separate scooters, at Netaji Subhash (NS) Marg near Delhi Gate area.
When signaled to stop for checking, both riders became nervous, abandoned their scooters, and attempted to flee. The police team, demonstrating promptness and vigilance, chased and apprehended both suspects after a brief pursuit, officials said.
Subsequently, FIR No. 014688/2026 dated 27.06.2026, U/S 305(B)/317(2)/3(5) BNS, PS Darya Ganj, was registered and investigation was taken up.
The statement further said that the successful operation was carried out by HC Chunniram, Ct. Gaurav under the supervision of INSP./SHO PS Dariyaganj and all over supervision of ACP Daryaganj .
The police personnel’s alert patrolling, swift response and timely action led to the arrest of both accused and recovery of multiple stolen vehicles, including two scooters and two motorcycles.
Both the accused, identified as Mohd. Shadman and Mohd. Kaif are 19-year-olds and residents of the national Capital’s Daryaganj area.
During interrogation, both accused failed to produce any valid ownership or registration documents for the scooters in their possession. Verification through the ZIPNET/internal vehicle database confirmed that both scooters had been stolen, investigators said.
During sustained interrogation and on the basis of their disclosure statements, two additional stolen motorcycles were recovered. Further investigation is in progress to ascertain their involvement in other auto-lifting cases across the district as well as the national Capital.
In all, police have recovered four two-wheelers from both the accused, that include a TVS Ntorq Scooter, Suzuki Burgman Scooter, Hero Splendor Plus Motorcycle, Honda Shine Motorcycle.
Officials said that all recovered vehicles have been seized in accordance with the relevant provisions of law.
Crime
‘Cannot forget Ketan’s innocence’: Singer who performed at Agarwal family function

Mumbai, July 1: Singer Reetu Sharma, who had performed at a function of Ketan Agarwal’s family on May 7, said that she is “constantly reminded” of his warm nature and words from that day as she demanded strict punishment for the accused.
An old video of Ketan Agarwal dancing with his and his fiancee – and murder accused — Siya Goyal’s parents at a family function in Pune was posted on Instagram by the singer on Tuesday night.
Among the two videos posted on social media, the first shows Ketan’s father, Vishal Agarwal, and Siya’s parents – Pravin Goyal and Pooja Goyal – standing close to each other along with other relatives, while Vishal Agarwal is seen grooving with singer Sharma.
Seconds later, Ketan is seen dancing with Siya’s father, Pravin, to a popular Bollywood song.
Speaking to media, Sharma noted that she was contacted by the Agarwal family through an event management company and has already performed in three to four functions of the family.
The singer further said that she got to know about the alleged murder of Ketan from the social media status of a member of the Agarwal family.
“This function was held on May 7 in Nashik. The occasion was the wedding ritual of Ketan’s cousin (paternal aunt’s daughter) which the Goyal family also attended,” she said.
Denying any sense of enmity between the families, she said: “Both families were happy and very much involved. In fact, both Ketan and Siya’s parents were dancing together and, as seen in the videos, Ketan’s father was even singing with me.”
Noting that the incident deeply impacted her, Sharma said: “I was constantly recalling Ketan’s face and his words from the function on that day. I cannot forget the style in which he told me ‘Maa’m, you are superb; amazing, and please take your lunch’, after the function. Because after such functions we are usually tired, but the way he kept on persuading me till I had my lunch keeps coming back to me.”
Meanwhile, sharing the video, the singer wrote: “On 7th May, we did a program in their family. Where you all can see they are all happily enjoying the program. How happy both the families were. We saw Ketan from our own eyes. Such an innocent child. Who knew this will happen to this beautiful soul (sic).”
Sharma called for strict punishment for Siya, saying: “Just because she did not like him doesn’t mean she can take someone’s life. She did think about her parents that if she ran with her boyfriend, society would blame her and her parents. But what about Ketan’s parents? She did not think what they will go through??”
“Why saying NO is more difficult than taking someone’s life? We want justice for Ketan! She should be pushed from that fort where she pushed Ketan and killed him,” she added.
Crime
Delhi Police bust ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud syndicate, nab three from Bengal

New Delhi, July 1: The Cyber Police Station in Delhi’s South District has busted an organised ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud syndicate and arrested three alleged members from West Bengal in connection with a Rs 7.22 lakh online fraud case, officials said on Wednesday.
The accused have been identified as Samiran Roy of South 24 Parganas, Prince Shaw of Howrah, and Samar Chatterjee of Howrah. According to the police, none of the three has any previous criminal record.
The arrests were made during raids conducted in South 24 Parganas and Howrah after an extensive financial and technical investigation. Police said the operation exposed the banking infrastructure of an interstate and international cyber fraud network.
The case came to light after a woman, identified as ‘M.S.’, lodged a complaint alleging that she had been duped of Rs 7.22 lakh in a ‘digital arrest’ scam. Based on her complaint, an e-FIR (No. 365/2026) dated June 6 was registered at Cyber Police Station, South District, under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the police, the fraudsters impersonated officials from the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and senior IPS officers. They allegedly kept the victim under continuous WhatsApp video calls, falsely claiming she was under investigation, and pressured her into transferring Rs 7.22 lakh through RTGS.
The investigation was carried out by a team comprising Sub-Inspector Udai Singh, Head Constables Vikas Kumar and Praveen Kumar, Constables Praveen Joon, Sultan and Subhash under the leadership of Inspector Hansraj Swami, SHO, Cyber South Police Station, and the overall supervision of the ACP (Operations), South District.
During the probe, investigators found that the defrauded money was initially transferred to a Bandhan Bank account allegedly operated by Samiran Roy and Prince Shaw before being routed through multiple bank accounts to conceal the money trail. Technical analysis of digital evidence also revealed links with cyber fraudsters operating from Thailand and Myanmar.
Police said the accused were involved in supplying mule bank accounts, SIM cards and banking credentials to organised cybercriminals. The syndicate allegedly arranged bank accounts into which victims transferred money after being intimidated through fake ‘digital arrest’ calls.
During the raids, police recovered six mobile phones, one HP Victus laptop, 18 debit and credit cards, seven cheque books, 15 SIM cards, two rubber stamps and six Aadhaar cards.
Delhi Police said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate, trace the proceeds of crime and uncover the network’s interstate and international links.
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