Mumbai: The Bombay HC on Thursday dismissed the appeal challenging acquittals of all the 22 accused in the 2005 alleged fake encounter case of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh and his aide Tulsiram Prajapati.

A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad on Thursday dismissed the appeal filed by Sohrabuddin’s brothers, Rubabuddin and Nayabuddin Shaikh challenging the special court’s verdict of 2018 acquitting all the accused. The detailed order however would be available subsequently.

Sohrabuddin’s brother had in April 2019 approached the HC against the special court’s judgment, acquitting all the accused. The appeal filed by Sohrabuddin’s brothers claimed that the trial was flawed. It cited instances where witnesses later claimed that their testimonies were not accurately recorded by the trial court. The appeal sought for the judgment to be quashed and for a retrial in the case.

Interestingly, the prosecuting agency, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has not filed an appeal against the acquittal. During the hearing in the appeal on October 8, 2025, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, representing the CBI, had informed the HC that the agency has accepted the verdict by the special CBI court, Mumbai, acquitting all the 22 accused, and will not be challenging the same. 

The special court, in December 2018, acquitted all the 22 accused, citing insufficient evidence and prosecution’s failure to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. It observed that the prosecution had failed to establish a cogent case to suggest there had been any conspiracy to kill Sohrabuddin and the others, and that the present accused persons had any role in it. The court also the CBI had failed to prove there existed any nexus between these officers and the local politicians, some of whom were also accused in the case.

Sohrabuddin, alleged to be a gangster, was killed in November 2006 in an encounter near Ahmedabad by the Gujarat police. His wife Kausar Bi was also allegedly killed. Later in December 2006, Prajapati, who was considered as a key eyewitness, was killed in another alleged encounter.

The Supreme Court then handed over the probe to the CBI and transferred the trial in the case to a special CBI court in Mumbai. 

Mumbai: In the drug overdose deaths case related to a music event at NESCO Goregaon last month, an international drug racket link has been revealed. The investigation has found that the main supplier, Mahesh Khemlani, allegedly procured 4,000 ecstasy pills from Europe and used a USDT wallet (a digital wallet that stores, sends, and receives Tether, a stablecoin).

On Wednesday, Khemlani, 44, aka Mark, was produced before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Borivali, which remanded him to police custody until May 10. The police said he allegedly sourced ecstasy pills from a friend based in Europe. He is believed to have ordered the drugs twice and had them couriered to the address of a friend of co-suspect Ayush Sahitya, 24, who resides in Ulhasnagar.

In the first consignment, 3,000 pills were sent, followed by 1,000 pills in the second, taking the total to 4,000 pills delivered to the same address. The transactions were conducted in foreign currency using the USDT wallet. The foreign currency was allegedly converted into Indian currency and vice versa through an agent, before being transferred to Khemlani’s supplier in Europe.

Investigators also revealed that Khemlani, Sahitya, and the Europe-based supplier had met at a hotel in Mumbai, and a further probe is underway. Khemlani, along with cosuspect Vineet Gerelani, 22, and Sahitya, had also met in Goa before the incident. The police suspect they may have links with other drug suppliers.

On Wednesday, the Vanrai police told the court that they had so far seized 935 pills in this case and needed custody to trace the remaining contraband and identify recipients. The police also said they are investigating meetings in Mumbai and Goa and are trying to identify the agent involved in the currency exchange.

Khemlani’s advocate, Pankaj Jadhav, argued that no incriminating material has been recovered from his client. Jadhav stated that Khemlani has no connection to the case, and that neither his chats nor his bank transactions indicate any involvement. The advocate added that Khemlani is engaged in import-export business, and the transactions in his account are work-related. Jadhav also claimed that the money transferred to a co-suspect was a loan and that the arrest was made solely based on the statement of Sahitya.

Advocates Surendra Landge, Azad Gupta, and Ranjita Jain appeared for several suspects in the case.

Mumbai, May 7, 2026: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has reported a major leak in a 1650 mm diameter main water pipeline located on Dr. E. Moses Road, near Famous Studio. The leakage was detected late on Wednesday night (May 6), prompting immediate repair work on a war footing by the Water Works (Maintenance/City) Department.

Due to the scale and complexity of the repair operation, water supply has been completely shut down in parts of D, E, and G/South wards on Thursday, May 7, 2026. In some areas, water supply will be available at reduced pressure.

According to the civic body, the affected areas include:

D Ward:
Lamington Road, M.S. Ali Road, J. Boman Behram Marg, R.S. Nimkar Marg, Shuklaji Street, Grant Road (East), Balram Street, Dr. D.B. Marg, Pathhe Bapurao Marg, and the entire Mumbai Central area will face a complete water shutdown.

Thakurdwar, M.K. Road, R.R. Road, J.S.S. Road, and Khadilkar Road will receive water at low pressure.

Girgaum Road, Hughes Road, Babulnath Road, and Chowpatty Road will also experience low-pressure supply.

M.P. Mills Compound, B.B. Nakashe Marg, Tardeo, Ambedkar Nagar Colony, and Keshavrao Khadye Road (South) will have no water supply.

E Ward:
K.K. Marg, B.J. Marg, Sane Guruji Marg, and Kasturba Hospital area will face a complete shutdown.

Maulana Azad Road, Delisle Road, Dr. Anandrao Nair Road, Meghraj Sethi Marg, Maratha Mandir Road, Mohammad Shaheed Marg, Kamathipura (lanes 1 to 14), Chandramani Buddha Vihar Road, Agripada area, and Dr. Anandrao Nair Hospital will also experience a complete disruption.

G/South Ward:
J.R. Bori Cha Marg, Sane Guruji Marg, and Dhobighat areas will have no water supply.

The BMC has appealed to residents in the affected areas to use water judiciously and cooperate with the administration during this period.

Civic officials stated that efforts are underway to complete the repairs at the earliest and restore normal water supply as soon as possible.