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Maharashtra: Suspecting them to be kidnappers, Sangli mob beats up 4 Sadhus

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In a shocker, a group of at least four Sadhus was thrashed by a mob on suspicion that they could be child-lifters, officials said, even as police got into action and detained six persons.

The incident occurred on Tuesday in Lavanga village in the Jat tehsil of the district in western Maharashtra and revived memories of the lynching of three Sadhus in Palghar district.

Though no formal police complaint has been filed yet, the incident sparked a fresh political row between the government of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

According to locals, the four Sadhus, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, had entered Maharashtra by a car from Karnataka’s Bijapur and were proceeding to the pilgrimage centre of Pandharpur.

On Tuesday, they were reportedly asking a boy for directions when some locals intervened, and suspecting them to be kidnappers, hammered them.

Videos of the incident — showing some persons assaulting them with blows, sticks and belts — went viral on social media platforms triggering protests and allegations between the ruling and opposition combines.

Slamming the Shinde-Fadnavis government, state Congress President Nana Patole said this is part of the BJP’s “dirty politics” that Hindu Sadhus are being thrashed in such a manner.

“The BJP is virtually ruling the state, the Deputy CM and Home Minister (Fadnavis) are from the BJP… Now what face they have left to show,” said Patole.

Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant said that a similar incident had occurred in Palghar in April 2020 in the Palghar village ruled by the BJP and several local BJP office-bearers were also involved.

“The BJP used that incident to label the MVA government as ‘anti-Hindu’… A similar situation has arisen in Sangli now. Whose government is in power? Will they hand over the probe to the CBI?” Sawant demanded.

Ruling BJP Spokesperson Ram Kadam termed the incident as “appalling and barbaric” and would not be tolerated in the state, while assuring a full probe into the matter.

Sangli Police Superintendent Dixit Gedam told the mediapersons that the police have launched suo moto investigations and detained at least six persons, and appealed to the people not to fall prey to such rumours.

Crime

ED conducts raids in Rs 200-crore bank fraud, benami assets case linked to Sasikala

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ED

Chennai, Sep 18: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday launched extensive searches in Chennai and Hyderabad in connection with a money laundering probe into an alleged Rs 200 crore bank fraud and benami property dealings linked to V. K. Sasikala, the confidante of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

Officials confirmed that the searches covered at least ten locations across the two cities.

The premises, according to the source, are connected to a businessman who has been identified as an alleged benami of Sasikala. The raids were conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The investigation stems from a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had earlier filed an FIR over what it described as fraudulent banking transactions running into hundreds of crores.

Acting on this, the ED initiated its own money laundering probe to trace the flow of funds and identify properties suspected to have been acquired through illegal means or in the names of benami holders.

Sources said officials are seizing documents, financial records, property deeds and electronic evidence from the searched locations. These materials will be examined to establish links between the bank fraud and assets allegedly concealed through benami arrangements.

While the extent of seizures is not yet clear, officials indicated that the raids were aimed at unearthing the full scale of transactions connected to the case.

The action once again puts Sasikala back in the spotlight. A key player in Tamil Nadu politics for decades, she has previously faced allegations and legal battles over disproportionate assets.

The ED’s current move revives scrutiny into her financial networks, particularly through associates and business entities suspected to have acted as fronts.

Investigators are likely to expand the probe depending on the findings from the ongoing searches. If evidence of laundering or concealment is confirmed, assets may be provisionally attached under PMLA, and further charges could follow.

The raids have drawn political attention as well, with observers noting that the timing and the scale of the operation underscore the central agency’s renewed focus on high-profile economic offences in Tamil Nadu.

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Crime

Thane Crime: Shahapur Police Arrest 2 Individuals For Beating 47-Year-Old Man To Death Over Petty Dispute

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Thane: The Shahapur Police have arrested two individuals for allegedly assaulting a man to death over a petty dispute. The deceased has been identified as Ramdash Gorkhane (47), a resident of Pradhan Pada in Shahapur, Thane district.

The accused have been identified as Sunil Nimase and Dhananjay Sugir. The body was found at Ratandale village near the Nagpur–Samruddhi Expressway on Tuesday.

According to the police, the victim and four accused were drinking a liquor together when they later went to the victim’s residence to take a villager’s hen. An altercation broke out, which escalated into physical violence.

The accused allegedly dragged the victim into their Scorpio car and assaulted him with fists and blows about 1.5 km from the spot. Later they have dumped him in unconscious condition at the location and fled the scene.

The body was discovered on Tuesday morning by villagers. Local villagers alerted the police, who rushed to the scene and sent him to a nearby hospital in Shahapur, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Mukesh Dhage, Senior Police Inspector of Shahapur Police Station, said, “So far, we have arrested two accused and launched a manhunt for the remaining suspects. Based on information from the victim’s nephew, a murder case has been registered. Further investigation is underway.”

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Crime

Mumbai Police Bust Fake Goregaon Call Centre Defrauding Foreigners; 13 Held

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The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 12 has uncovered a major scam targeting foreign nationals, following a raid on an unauthorised call centre in Goregaon. The update was first shared by Mumbai Police on X, highlighting how unsuspecting victims were tricked into paying large sums of money under the pretext of antivirus software renewal.

Investigations revealed that the accused were sending fraudulent emails, posing as legitimate antivirus renewal alerts. Once the victims responded, they were coerced into purchasing gift cards ranging between $250 and $500. These cards were then redeemed and converted into cryptocurrency, making it nearly impossible for victims to track their losses.

The racket primarily preyed on foreign nationals unfamiliar with the setup. Officials said the scam was designed to create panic among users by suggesting that their computer security had expired, pressuring them into making quick payments.

During the raid, police seized 15 desktop computers, 10 laptops, and 20 mobile phones used to run the fraudulent operations. Documents and data recovered from the systems are now being examined to determine the scale of the fraud and to identify additional victims.

Thirteen individuals have been arrested in connection with the racket. This includes two owners who were running the operation, one manager overseeing daily activities, and ten tele-caller agents responsible for contacting and convincing the victims. Police said the arrests mark a significant step in cracking down on cybercrime networks exploiting international victims.

The Mumbai Police emphasised that this bust highlights the evolving nature of cybercrime and the need for continuous vigilance. Authorities added that further investigations are underway to uncover links with larger international fraud syndicates.

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