Crime
Malegaon 2008 case: End threats, enticement of witnesses, urges Congress
In a significant development, the Maharashtra Congress on Thursday urged the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to ensure that the witnesses in the sensitive Malegaon 2008 blasts case “are not pressurised, threatened or enticed”.
In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, Congress state Working President Arif Naseem Khan said the terror case has prominent names as prime accused, including Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Col. P.S. Purohit, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Dayanand Pandey and several others.
“I have learnt that in order to save all these accused in the Malegaon 2008 bomb blast case, some organisations and individuals are threatening, pressurising and luring the witnesses to make them ‘hostile’ before the court,” Khan said.
The blast occurred in Malegaon on September 29, 2008, near a mosque when Muslims were offering prayers, and left at least nine dead and another more than 80 injured, and the subsequent probe revealed the involvement of what was called ‘saffron terror groups’.
Khan urged Thackeray and Walse-Patil that such groups or persons should be investigated by a high-level committee and stringent action must be initiated against them for influencing or harassing the witnesses.
The case was probed by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad and later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and has a total of 495 witnesses.
From these, 220 witnesses have already testified, out of which 15 have already been declared ‘hostile’, with the likelihood of more witnesses going against the probe agency owing to pressures exerted by some organisations and persons, Khan pointed out.
The Congress leader said that Walse-Patil had assured he would do the needful in the matter in order to ensure a free and fair trial at the day-to-day hearing before a Special Court.
Khan’s letter assumes significance, coming a day after a witness in the case made a shocking claim that he was allegedly detained for a week by the ATS in 2008 and then compelled to name five RSS leaders, including Yogi Adityanath, who is now Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
The witness, who is one of the trustees of Abhinav Bharat, a right-wing group, also contended that the ATS did not record his statement though the agency had attached his purported five-pager statement in its charge sheet filed in 2009.
During the cross-examination, the witness named Adityanath, Swami Aseemanand, Indresh Kumar, a Prof. Deodhar and one Kakaji, whose names he was allegedly forced to take by one police official Chavan, DCP Shrirao and an IPS officer Param Bir Singh.
Crime
Mumbai Crime: Vasai Man Kills Stepmother For Refusing To Pay ₹1.8 Lakh For His Online Gaming, Father Helps Cover-Up Murder

Vasai (Maharashtra): In a chilling case from Vasai, which is 25 kilometres away from Mumbai, the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police arrested a 32-year-old man for allegedly murdering his 61-year-old stepmother after she refused to give him money to continue playing an online game. The accused’s father has also been arrested for his role in helping cover up the crime.
Family Claimed Elderly Woman Died Due To Fall, Last Rites Conducted
The victim, Arshia Khusru, was a resident of Periyar Apartment in Vasai West. She died on July 26 and her family claimed she had suffered a fatal fall. Based on that account, her last rites were conducted without a postmortem. However, discrepancies in the circumstances surrounding her death led the police to launch an investigation.
During the probe, officers arrested Imran Khusru, Arshia’s stepson, who later confessed to the murder. Imran was deeply addicted to an online game and desperately needed Rs 1.8 lakh to fund his gaming.
When Arshia refused to give him the money, an enraged Imran allegedly slammed her head against a wall corner and kicked her in the face, leading to fatal injuries. After committing the crime, he is said to have stolen her gold jewellery.
Accused’s Father Helped In Covering Crime
The case took a darker turn when police discovered the involvement of Imran’s father, Amir Ismail Khusru (65), in attempting to destroy evidence and mislead authorities. Amir allegedly used his personal connections to procure a fake death certificate stating that Arshia had died from a fall. He then persuaded the family to proceed with her funeral based on the false cause of death, avoiding an autopsy.
Cops say the father-son duo went to great lengths to cover up the murder. It was only through persistent efforts by the police that the truth came to light. The stolen jewellery and other key evidence have reportedly been recovered. Both accused are currently in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.
Crime
Palghar Police Bust Prostitution Racket In Vasai; 3 Bangladeshi Nationals Held, 2 Victims Rescued

Palghar: In a significant operation against human trafficking, Palghar police have uncovered a prostitution racket being run from a residential flat in Naigaon, Vasai. Three Bangladeshi nationals were arrested, and two victims, including a minor girl, were rescued, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
About The Case
Acting on a tip-off, the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell of the Mira Bhayander–Vasai Virar police conducted a raid on July 26 at a flat in Naigaon, located in the Vasai area.
According to ACP (Crime) Madan Ballal, officers found a minor girl at the scene who was allegedly being pushed into the flesh trade. A 21-year-old woman, also a victim of the racket, was rescued from the same premises.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Khalid Bapari, Juber Harun Sheikh, and Shamin Gaffar Sardar, all Bangladeshi nationals. Police say the victims, too, are from Bangladesh and were reportedly trafficked into India and forced into sex work.
Both victims have been shifted to a shelter run by the Rescue Foundation for their care and rehabilitation.
An FIR has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 96 (procuration of child), 98 (selling child for purposes of prostitution), 143(3) and 143(4) (trafficking), and 144 (exploitation of trafficked person). Additional charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act have also been applied.
The investigation is ongoing.
Crime
Maharashtra, Mysuru Police Bust MDMA Factory On Ring Road; ₹100 Crore Drugs Seized, Four Held

Bengaluru: In a joint operation, the Maharashtra police and Mysuru police have raided a narcotics manufacturing factory on the outer ring road of Mysuiru and seized 13 kg of MDMA and 37 kg of liquid being used to manufacture MDMA, all worth over Rs 100 crore in the international market.
Interestingly, the narcotics manufactured here were being supplied to Maharashtra and the raiding police squad have arrested four persons in this connection. The Mysuru city Commissioner has suspended the Narasimharaja police station inspector Lakshmikanth Talawar for dereliction of duty, under whose jurisdiction the factory comes.
Recently, a drug peddler who was arrested by the Maharashtra police had confessed that he was procuring drugs from Mysuru. He had told the police that a large quantity of the MDMA was stored in Mysuru either in the form of powder or pills and was being supplied to Maharashtra.
Based on the information, the Maharashtra police approached the Mysuru City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, who organised the raid. In the early hours on Sunday, the police team raided an old garage near Belavattha in the outer ring road. Among the four arrested, two are from Mysuru and the other two are outsiders. The police have refused to divulge any details of the arrested, as it would hamper the future investigations.
Reacting to the drug factory in Mysuru, Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar said that it was a disturbing development, as Mysuru was a quiet place without much such activities.
“Now we have unearthed the factory, we are taking strict action against such activities. Even our police are investigating various angles of the incident,” he added.
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