Crime
Interpol issues 3 Red Corner notices against Mehul Choksi’s suspected kidnappers
The Interpol has issued three red corner notices against persons suspected of kidnapping and torturing fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi in May 2021.
These moves were at the Antigua and Barbuda authorities’ request.
A statement issued by the police force of the island nation said: “Those Red Notices were approved (by a magistrate of the country Conliffe Clarke) and issued (by Interpol).”
The Interpol notices are a setback for Indian law enforcement and intelligence agencies, who accuse Choksi of defrauding the public sector Punjab National Bank to the tune of Rs 13,000 crore and want him for questioning in India.
Choksi denies the charge and insists his companies never defaulted on loans from the bank.
Choksi, who has apparently been a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda since 2017, complained that he was beaten up, blindfolded and forcibly taken on a boat from Antigua to Dominica, another island in the West Indies.
This complaint was prima facie upheld by an interim finding of the Antiguan police as well as by a Dominican court.
The charge made by Choksi was he was lured into a Hungarian woman’s flat in Antigua, following which two UK-based men of Indian descent took him to Dominica and handed him over to Dominican police.
Reportedly, Indian law enforcement officers arrived in Dominica on a leased Qatar Airways executive jet to secretly whisk him away to India; but were dramatically thwarted by a local radio presenter, Loftus Durand, breaking the news of Choksi’s illegal detention.
Meanwhile, the police commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda, Atlee Rodney, has sternly denied any collusion between his force and Choksi as suggested in an article circulated by an Indian news agency and carried by a section of Indian news media last week.
The piece seemingly quoted a blogger Kenneth Rijock (described as “a renowned financial crimes investigator”), who the wire report claimed “said that Choksi has been scheming to illegally extend the court process in Antigua, by paying bribes to government officials, including senior Antigua police official, Adonis Henry”.
“Multiple witnesses report that Choksi and Inspector Henry have been meeting at least three times a day at Al Porto, a Jolly Harbour (an area in Antigua) restaurant reportedly owned by Choksi, wrote Rijock in his financial crime blob.”
“Choksi not only reached out to Henry but also tried to influence Antigua magistrate Conliffe Clarke through illegal payments,” it added.
Reacting to such reporting, Commissioner Rodney stated: “It is most unfortunate that Mr Kenneth Rijock, on his internet blog, made several false statements, concerning the Antigua and Barbuda Police Force in relation to Mr Mehul Choksi without ascertaining the facts.
“The entire blog is false with inadequate or no research of the facts and has a malicious purpose and ought not to have been posted.”
The Antiguan police testified that only two meetings took place between Choksi and Inspector Henry.
“Both engagements occurred around August 2021 and June 2022 during an investigation… at Mr Choksi’s office… in the presence of his attorney.”
A media report in IMI, an internet media outlet, claimed Rijock received a four-year federal prison sentence for duping US tax authorities and that there are several libel cases against him.
As for Choksi attempting to influence Magistrate Clarke to delay court proceedings relating to India’s demand for his extradition, Antigua News Room, a media portal, produced a copy of a letter his attorneys have written to the Registrar of the High Court in Antigua.
The letter pointed out that Rijock’s article, as reported via a news agency, “has the clear and significant potential to undermine the justice system of Antigua and Barbuda”.
Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s party was re-elected in a general election on Wednesday.
There was no comment from the government.
Crime
Thane NDPS Wing Busts Drug Racket; Over 2.2 Kg Hashish Worth ₹1.10 Crore Seized In Mumbra, 1 Accused Arrested

Thane, Dec 06: Thane City’s NDPS branch has achieved a major success. Under an on-ground operation, the police have exposed an active gang selling narcotic substances. In this action, the police have recovered approximately 02 kg 201 grams of hashish (charas), the market value of which is estimated to be one crore ten lakh sixty-five thousand rupees.
This operation was led by Senior Police Inspector Nitin Shinde. His team included officers and personnel from the crime branch, who carried out this action based on secret information.
Police had received information that some individuals were selling hashish and other intoxicating substances in the Mumbra area. Following this, the team laid a trap, cordoned off, and caught the suspect in the Bandewadi area. A large quantity of hashish was recovered from his possession upon search.
The suspected accused has been identified as Moin Khan, alias Hasrat Ali Siddiqui. Preliminary interrogation revealed that he used to illegally procure hashish from Jammu and Kashmir and sell it in Thane, Mumbai, and surrounding areas. The accused already has several serious crimes registered against him.
In this regard, Mumbra Police has registered a case under NDPS Act 20(a)(i)(b), 29, and further investigation is underway. The police are also trying to find out who else is involved in this network and how far this hashish supply chain extends.
Crime
Palghar: Vasai-Virar Police Nab Gang Stealing Mobile Tower Batteries; ₹6 Lakh Worth Goods Recovered

Vasai: A gang specializing in stealing mobile tower batteries has become active in the Vasai-Virar region. The Crime Detection Branch team of the Pelhar Police has successfully arrested members of this gang. Stolen goods worth ₹6 lakhs have been confiscated from them.
While incidents of house burglaries, mobile thefts, vehicle thefts, and chain snatching are occurring in Vasai-Virar, the area is now seeing cases of theft of mobile tower batteries installed for networking purposes.
Recently, twenty-four batteries belonging to the Indus Company’s mobile phone tower, valued at ₹50,000, were stolen by unknown thieves from the Arshad Compound area within the jurisdiction of the Pelhar Police Station. A case was filed at the police station regarding this incident.
Taking the seriousness of the crime into account, Senior Police Inspector Sachin Kamble instructed the Crime Detection Branch team to investigate the matter.
Accordingly, the detection team, led by Assistant Police Inspector Ramesh Waghchaure, Police Sub-Inspector Tukaram Bhople, and their team, started the investigation. It was discovered that a pickup Bolero vehicle was being used for the crimes and that the accused were employed at ARC Company (related to mobile phone towers).
Police tracked down and arrested three individuals: Aurangzeb Sarwar Ansari (19), Parvez Ghulam Rasul Shah (24), and Rafiq Aminsab Sheikh (38). Police reported seizing property worth ₹6 lakh 12 thousand from them.
The operation was conducted by the team comprising Senior Police Inspector Sachin Kamble, Police Inspector (Crime) Shivaji Patil, Crime Detection Team Assistant Police Inspector Ramesh Waghchaure, Police Sub-Inspector Tukaram Bhople, Faujdar Yogesh Deshmukh, Police Constables Tanaji Chavan, Valmik Patil, Abhijit Nevare, Ravi Wankhede, Ashok Parjane, Anil Waghmare, Wasim Sheikh, Amol Masse, and others.
Crime
One killed, five injured in Trinamool factional clash in Birbhum

Kolkata, Dec 6: A Trinamool Congress leader was killed, and five others were seriously injured in a violent clash between two factions of the ruling party in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the Nanoor area of Birbhum district late on Friday night. The deceased Trinamool leader, who was beaten to death, has been identified as Rashbehari Sardar alias Dodan (50).
According to police, the deceased is known to be a follower of Trinamool Birbhum Zilla Parishad president Faizul Haque alias Kajal Shaikh. The injured were taken to Mangalkot Block Hospital in East Burdwan district. The body of the deceased Trinamool leader has been taken to Mangalkot Sub-divisional Hospital for post-mortem examination.
The clash broke out while villagers were gathered at the Natmandir in Patichhara village in Nanoor during Nabanna festivities. As the group was chatting, another group allegedly launched an unprovoked assault, leading to the fatal attack.
Those who carried out the attack are known to be followers of former Zilla Parishad corporator Abdul Karim Khan, who is close to Trinamool Congress strongman and former Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal.
The Trinamool factional conflict ahead of the upcoming 2026 state Assembly elections is a matter of concern for the party leadership, sources in the Trinamool Congress said.
Following the incident, there has been widespread tension in the area. A large police force, including a combat force, has been patrolling the villages to ease the tension. Locals alleged that the death was due to Trinamool factional conflict. However, no top leader of the Birbhum district Trinamool Congress has officially spoken about the incident so far.
“One person was killed, and five others were injured in a clash last night. The injured are being treated at a hospital. Some of them have serious head injuries. An investigation has started. Extensive patrolling is being conducted to prevent any further escalation,” said a senior officer of the Birbhum district police.
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