Crime
Hema Upadhyay Murder Case: Bombay HC Dismisses Bail Plea Of Key Accused Chintan Upadhyaya

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of artist Chintan Upadhyay who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for abetting and conspiring to kill his estranged wife Hema Upadhyay in December 2015,
A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Gauri Godse dismissed the plea observing that prima facie there was sufficient ground to show his involvement in the murder. The country will pass a reasoned order later.
HC admitted Chintan Upadhyay’s appeal
The HC, on October 25, admitted Upadhyay’s appeal challenging his conviction and sentencing by the sessions court. Upadhyay has approached the high court through advocate Bharat Manghani challenging his conviction contending that the sessions court erred in its findings while finding him guilty. Pending hearing in his appeal, he had sought bail.
The ghastly 2015 murder case
Hema and her lawyer Harish Bhambani were allegedly smothered to death by Vidhyadhar Rajbhar on December 11, 2015, with the help of other accused persons. He killed the duo allegedly at Upadhyay’s behest. The next day, a rubbish collector discovered their bodies stuffed in cardboard boxes in a nullah in Kandivali.
Sessions judge, on October 7, found Upadhyay guilty of abetting and conspiring to kill Hema and sentenced him to life in prison observing that the murder was “brutal”, but it cannot be termed as “rarest of rare” which warrants a “death penalty only”. The judge found three others – Vijay Rajbhar, Pradip Rajbhar and Shiv Kumar Rajbhar, who hail from the same village – guilty of murdering Hema and her lawyer and Harish Bhambhani and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
Hema’s family had also approached the HC seeking permission to intervene in the matter and oppose Upadhyay’s bail plea. The HC had allowed the family to intervene.
Upadhyay’s conviction
Special public prosecutor Vaibhav Bagade opposed the bail plea contending that there was enough evidence against Upadhyay based on which the sessions court had convicted him.
Upadhyay’s appeal contends that the sessions judge erred in accepting the retracted and uncorroborated confession of a co-accused, Pradip, as voluntary, admissible and having been corroborated.
The judgment of the trial court lacks proper and cogent evidence and reasoning to convict him, the appeal argues. It wrongly relied on a retracted confession of co-accused Pradeep Rajbhar, to hold it as genuine. The appeal also questions the inference drawn by the sessions court that since Rajbhars had no motive to murder Hema, they acted at Upadhyay’s behest. It is not permissible in law to draw such an inference, said Manghani.
Crime
Mumbai Crime News: Father, Brother-in-Law Booked Under POCSO For Sexually Assaulting Minor Girl; One Arrested

The Sewree Police have registered a case against the victim’s father and brother-in-law under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and rape charges for sexually abusing a minor girl. While the police have arrested the brother-in-law, the father remains absconding after the case was filed. Authorities are conducting a search for the accused.
The victim, a 16-year-old girl, alleged in her complaint that in April 2024, her father covered her face with a cloth while she was sleeping at home and sexually assaulted her. He also threatened to kill her mother if she disclosed the incident, leaving the victim too terrified to speak out. Later, in March (year unclear—needs verification), when the girl was alone at home, the accused allegedly molested her again.
After the victim recently approached the police, a case was filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape and the POCSO Act. The brother-in-law has been arrested, while the father is still at large.
Crime
Navi Mumbai Crime Branch Busts Auto-Rickshaw Theft Racket; 12 Stolen Vehicles Worth ₹24 Lakh Recovered

An intensive investigation involving scrutiny of over 60 CCTV cameras and technical surveillance led the Crime Detection Team of CBD Police Station to bust a widespread auto-rickshaw theft racket in Navi Mumbai. Two habitual offenders were arrested, and 12 stolen Bajaj auto-rickshaws valued at approximately Rs 24 lakh were recovered from various districts across Maharashtra.
The case began after a complaint was filed at CBD Police Station on May 28 regarding the theft of an auto-rickshaw bearing registration number MH-46-BD-9956 from Sector 11, CBD Belapur. Following the complaint, the police team launched an exhaustive technical investigation, combing through more than 60 CCTV camera footages and other forensic leads, which eventually pointed to two suspects.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Nazimoddin Azimoddin Qazi (43), a resident of Partur in Jalna, and Sakib Shamsu Shaikh (24), originally from Jalna but currently living in Taloja Phase-2, Panvel. Qazi was tracked to his hometown in Jalna and arrested on July 12.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to stealing 12 auto-rickshaws from various parts of Navi Mumbai, including CBD, Kharghar, Kalamboli, and Panvel. They revealed that the stolen vehicles were transported and concealed in locations such as Jalna, Hingoli, Parbhani, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts. In an attempt to evade identification, the accused had tampered with engine and chassis numbers, but police investigators were able to recover and identify all 12 vehicles using advanced forensic and technical methods.
The stolen vehicles, all Bajaj auto-rickshaws were seized from multiple locations. Each vehicle is estimated to be worth Rs 2 lakh, taking the total recovery to approximately Rs 24 lakh.
The thefts have been linked to multiple police stations across Navi Mumbai. “Three cases were registered at CBD Police Station, four at Kharghar Police Station, four at Kalamboli Police Station, and one at Panvel City Police Station. The accused had started stealing the vehicles around a year back. The first theft was reported in June last year. Before that they worked as drivers,” Assistant commissioner of police (Turbhe division) Mayur Bhujbal said.
This successful operation was carried out under the guidance of Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner Sanjay Yenpure, DCP (Zone I) Pankaj Dahane, and ACP Mayur Bhujbal. The investigation was led by Senior PI Sandesh Revale and Crime PI Arun Pawar, with support from API Suresh Dambre, PSI Vishnu Wagh, and a committed team of police constables who played a key role in cracking the case.
Crime
Mumbai: High-Profile Sex Racket Busted At Andheri Hotel; 3 Vietnamese Women Rescued

Mumbai: The MIDC Police busted a high-profile sex racket involving foreign nationals at a hotel in Andheri. The illegal operation was being run from the Empire Suite Hotel near Times Square on Andheri-Kurla Road. The raid, carried out recently following a tip-off, led to the rescue of three Vietnamese women who were allegedly forced into prostitution.
Acting on specific intelligence, senior police officials directed the MIDC Police to verify the information and take immediate action. a decoy customer was sent to the hotel to confirm the operation. Upon reaching the premises, the decoy was received by hotel manager Alam Khalil Chaudhary, who allegedly offered sex services for Rs 6,000 and led him to a room on the eighth floor. There, the decoy met a foreign woman, who later admitted to being involved in prostitution along with two other Vietnamese women staying in another room.
3 Women Rescued From Hotel
After receiving a pre-arranged signal from the decoy, the police team raided the 8th and 9th floors of the hotel, rescuing all three women. The women were taken in for questioning, during which they confirmed their involvement in sex work. They also revealed that their clients were coordinated through an agent who shared their photographs online and directed customers to the hotel.
Further investigation revealed that the sex racket was being run with the knowledge and alleged involvement of the hotel owner, Abdul Salam. According to the police, the manager facilitated all transactions and coordinated with the agent, while Salam oversaw the operation. Police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act (PITA) against both Chaudhary and Salam.
Manhunt Launched For Hotel Owner
While Alam Chaudhary has been arrested, the hotel owner is currently absconding. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest him. The rescued women, all citizens of Vietnam, have had their passports seized and were sent to a shelter home after undergoing medical examinations. The Vietnamese Embassy in India has been informed of their rescue.
Police are now working to identify and track the agent involved in the online coordination of the racket and are investigating whether more people or locations are linked to the operation.
-
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
-
Maharashtra8 months ago
Maharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News10 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