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ED Seizes Assets Worth ₹32 Crore After Raids In Mumbai & Hyderabad In Illegal Land Development & Money Laundering Case

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Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized unaccounted assets worth over Rs 32 crore following raids at 13 locations in Mumbai and Hyderabad, as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged illegal land development and money laundering case.

The searches, carried out on May 14 and 15 (today) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), led to the recovery of Rs 9.04 crore in cash, and diamond-studded jewellery and bullion valued at approximately Rs 23.25 crore. Officials also recovered a significant volume of documents considered to be incriminating.

A major portion of the seizure Rs 8.6 crore in cash and jewellery and bullion worth Rs 23.25 crore was recovered from the Mumbai and Hyderabad residences of Y. S. Reddy, Deputy Director of Town Planning, Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC). Investigators also recovered documents believed to expose a large-scale illegal construction scam in the Vasai Virar region, allegedly executed in collusion with VVMC officials.

The searches were part of an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting a syndicate allegedly involved in the illegal development of 41 mixed-use buildings in the Vasai-Virar region. These structures were reportedly constructed on nearly 60 acres of land originally earmarked for sewage treatment plants and dumping grounds by the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC).

According to ED sources, the syndicate allegedly forged municipal clearances and sold residential and commercial properties built on encroached public land, flouting urban planning and environmental norms. The racket is said to involve a complex web of shell companies and money laundering channels spanning Mumbai and Hyderabad.

The ED initiated its probe based on multiple FIRs registered by the Mira Bhayandar Police Commissionerate against several builders, local operatives, and others. The case pertains to the illegal construction of residential-cum-commercial buildings on both government and private land under the jurisdiction of the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC), with unauthorized activity dating back to 2009.

According to ED officials, 41 buildings were constructed illegally over time on land earmarked for public utilities, including a sewage treatment plant and dumping ground, as per the approved development plan of Vasai-Virar. The accused allegedly fabricated approval documents to mislead homebuyers, selling residential units despite having prior knowledge that the constructions were unauthorized and subject to demolition.

“This was a case of systematic fraud, wherein developers knowingly deceived the public by selling units in buildings that had no legal sanction,” an ED official said.

The matter reached the judiciary, and the Bombay High Court, in an order dated July 8, 2024, directed the demolition of all 41 illegal structures. A Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by affected families was later dismissed by the Supreme Court. Subsequently, VVMC carried out the court-mandated demolition, which was completed on February 20, 2025.

ED officials said that the ongoing investigation will further examine the financial transactions, identify the complete network of individuals and entities involved, and determine the extent of money laundering and fraud perpetrated in the case.

Crime

Assam road rage accused arrested, not linked to BJP: Himanta Sarma

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Guwahati, July 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the accused in the recent road rage incident in Guwahati has been arrested and clarified that the individual has no association with the BJP.

The Chief Minister’s statement came amid social media posts claiming that the accused was a BJP youth leader after a video of the alleged assault surfaced online and triggered widespread outrage.

“The accused has been arrested and is not associated with the BJP,” Sarma said in a post on social media platform X.

Reiterating the state government’s zero-tolerance policy towards such incidents, the Chief Minister asserted that strict legal action would be taken against anyone involved in acts of violence on public roads.

“Road rage has no place in Assam. Anyone who indulges in such acts will face the full force of the law,” Sarma added.

The clarification came after several social media users, including public commentators, shared a dashcam video purportedly showing a confrontation between two motorists in Guwahati.

The video allegedly captured a car owner being assaulted following an altercation on the road, prompting calls for immediate action against the accused.

The incident sparked a political debate after claims circulated online that the accused was linked to the ruling BJP.

However, the Chief Minister dismissed those allegations, stating that the accused was not affiliated with the party. Police have already arrested the accused in connection with the incident. However, officials are yet to release detailed information regarding the charges invoked or the circumstances that led to the confrontation.

The viral video has generated widespread public concern over incidents of aggressive driving and road rage in urban areas. Netizens and civil society members have urged authorities to ensure swift prosecution of those responsible and to strengthen enforcement against violent behaviour on the roads.

The Assam government has repeatedly maintained that law and order violations will be dealt with firmly irrespective of the background or affiliation of those involved.

Further investigation into the incident is underway, and police are expected to record statements of witnesses and examine the video footage as part of the probe.

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Crime

Intoxicated passenger threatens to kill man in Mumbai local; arrested after threat video goes viral

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Mumbai, July 4: A disturbing incident aboard a Mumbai suburban local train has once again raised concerns over passenger safety after a man allegedly threatened to kill a fellow commuter during an altercation. The incident comes just weeks after a youth was stabbed on a Mumbai local train, leading to his death.

The accused was later arrested by the LTT Railway Police after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

The accused has been identified as Ramzan Fakir Mohammad Ibrahim Qureshi, also known as Ibba (36), a resident of Shivaji Nagar.

According to the Railway Police, he was allegedly travelling in a heavily intoxicated condition when he threatened the life of another passenger over what officials described as a trivial issue.

The Railway Police stated that the incident took place on June 29, 2026, aboard a ‘Down’ direction Mumbai local train that had departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). The train was passing near Govandi station at around 10:34 P.M. when the altercation occurred.

Officials said the confrontation took place between Govandi and Chembur stations. The complainant, Surendra Shukla (55), a resident of Ulwe in Navi Mumbai, told police that he had boarded the train at Govandi. He alleged that the accused was speaking to someone on his mobile phone while using abusive language in a loud voice and appeared to be heavily intoxicated.

According to Shukla, he requested the accused to refrain from using abusive language because women were travelling in the compartment. The request allegedly enraged the accused, who suddenly became aggressive, started shouting and allegedly threatened to kill him in full public view.

The incident created panic and an atmosphere of fear among passengers travelling in the compartment. During the altercation, another commuter recorded the entire episode on a mobile phone. The video was later uploaded on social media, where it spread rapidly and drew widespread attention.

After the video went viral, the LTT Railway Police took cognisance of the matter and immediately launched an investigation. Officials said the detection team carried out a technical analysis of the viral footage and examined CCTV footage from railway stations and nearby areas to identify the accused.

Based on the investigation, police tracked the accused’s movements and eventually detained him outside Reay Road railway station. He was subsequently arrested, and further legal proceedings are underway.

The incident comes close on the heels of another similar case reported in Borivali, adding to concerns over the safety and security of passengers on Mumbai’s suburban rail network.

On June 23, a 22-year-old passenger was stabbed to death inside a first-class compartment of a Churchgate-Nallasopara fast local train following an argument over keeping the coach door open during heavy rain, police said.

The victim, identified as Mayank Lohar, a resident of Virar, was travelling in the first-class coach of Train No. 90663, when the incident occurred between Andheri and Borivali stations, when he reportedly asked the accused Roshan Suvarna to close the coach door.

The request allegedly led to a heated argument between the two passengers. During the altercation, the accused Suvarna allegedly pulled out a sharp weapon and stabbed Lohar in the abdomen, inflicting serious injuries that led to his death.

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Crime

Mumbai Police bust Rs 1.07 crore online share trading fraud; 6 arrested

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Mumbai, July 4: The Cyber Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police has busted an organised cyber fraud syndicate allegedly involved in cheating investors of more than Rs 1.07 crore through fake online share trading schemes.

As part of the operation, police arrested six individuals accused of orchestrating the fraud by luring victims with bogus investment opportunities, officials said.

According to the Cyber Police, the accused allegedly carried out the fraud by operating through WhatsApp groups, fake trading applications and multiple bank accounts while promising lucrative returns through fabricated share trading and IPO investment schemes.

Of the six accused arrested in the case, four were apprehended from Vadodara in Gujarat, while the remaining two were arrested from Mumbai. Police said the investigation revealed that the group functioned as a well-organised network with clearly defined roles assigned to different members.

According to investigators, the operation was carried out in several layers. The first stage involved identifying individuals willing to provide their bank accounts.

Thereafter, current accounts were allegedly opened in the names of companies, following which the money obtained through the fraud was routed through multiple bank accounts before being transferred further to conceal its trail.

Police believe the entire mechanism was part of an organised cyber fraud racket designed to evade detection.

The case came to light after a 43-year-old investment professional from Mumbai approached the police with a complaint.

According to investigators, she came across an online share trading advertisement on WhatsApp and clicked on the link provided in the message.

Police said that after accessing the link, the woman was added to a WhatsApp group named ‘Arjun Mehta, Kua Securities, UK’, where several individuals, posing as market experts, regularly shared stock market updates, investment advice and claims of exceptionally high returns in an apparent attempt to gain the confidence of group members.

According to the police, the accused gradually won the victim’s trust through professional-looking conversations and investment discussions.

She was eventually persuaded to register on what was presented as an online trading platform and to download a mobile application that displayed an interface closely resembling a genuine stock trading platform.

Believing the platform to be legitimate, the victim transferred money in multiple instalments from her own bank accounts as well as from the accounts of her family members to various bank accounts provided by the accused.

During the investigation, police found that the fraudsters had allegedly cheated the victim of a total amount of Rs 1,07,37,208.

The Cyber Crime Branch is now examining the financial transactions linked to the accused, tracing the movement of the defrauded funds and identifying other individuals who may have been part of the network.

Investigators are also trying to ascertain whether more investors across different states may have fallen victim to the same modus operandi.

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