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Mumbai: Ex-Hari Media Network Manager, Associates Booked For ₹1.41 Crore Scam Using Forged Athiya Shetty Signature

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Mumbai: The Amboli police have booked three individuals for allegedly embezzling Rs 1.41 crore from Hari Media Network Private Limited through a series of fake projects and forged documents. The accused are Rishbh Sureka, a former senior manager–client servicing (influencer marketing) at the company, Yash Nagarkoti, CEO of Hooray Movies, and Ashay Shastri.

Sureka is accused of forging actress Athiya Shetty’s signature and creating a fake email ID in the name of actor Arshad Warsi to execute the fraud. Hari Media Network, which provides advertising and marketing services, has its head office in Haryana and a branch in Andheri West, Mumbai, opposite Yash Raj Films. Sureka joined in July 2023 and was authorised to handle influencer branding, project coordination, and communications with the finance team and CEO.

Soon after joining, Sureka received an interest-free loan of Rs 15 lakh from the company for his mother’s medical treatment. The fraud came to light through multiple fake invoices. In August 2024, Sureka claimed a Havells project featuring actress Dia Mirza required Rs31 lakh for Hooray Movies, which was approved. He allegedly told Nagarkoti the payment would be Rs 62 lakh.

After completion, Nagarkoti withheld the video and demanded the extra amount, citing a forged email from Sureka. The company paid an additional Rs 19 lakh to release the video. Investigations revealed Sureka, Nagarkoti, and Shastri conspired to submit forged bills in the names of brands like Havells, Mahindra Lifespaces, Realme Number Series, and Birla Estates. These fake claims totalled over Rs 52 lakh, transferred to Sureka’s personal account.

In January 2024, Sureka misused the company’s email to approach Matrix Entertainment, Athiya Shetty’s talent managers, and independently secured a Rs40 lakh advertisement with Khanna Jewellers. He forged Shetty’s signature on a fake agreement, collected Rs15 lakh from the jeweller, and did not pass it to Matrix. He also created a fake Zomato invoice involving Shetty and cricketer KL Rahul.

Crime

Mumbai Crime: 26-Year-Old Man Arrested For Sexually Assaulting 10-Yr-Old Boy In Lower Parel Railway Yard

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Mumbai: The Churchgate Police have arrested a 26-year-old man under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) for allegedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy in the Lower Parel railway yard area on January 31. The accused is currently in police custody.

According to the Government Railway Police (GRP), the incident occurred on January 31 between 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. The accused, a native of Madhya Pradesh, is unemployed and lives on footpaths in Mumbai. He has a criminal history, with several cases of theft registered against him at various police stations.

The investigation revealed that the accused lured the boy by promising him Rs.10,000 for watching a bag. He told him that his bag was stuck in the local train. He took the boy from Churchgate on a local train and alighted at Lower Parel. There, he led the boy inside the yard to a parked train and sexually assaulted him before fleeing.

The victim was found crying by the Mumbai Central Railway Police, who then traced his mother. The boy’s family resides on a railway platform. A case was registered and transferred to the Churchgate Railway Police Station.

Using CCTV footage and human intelligence, the police arrested the accused. The Churchgate Railway Police have registered a POCSO case against him. The boy is in the 3rd standard. 

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Crime

Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Team Attacked By Suspected Drug Traffickers In Navi Mumbai; Several Injured

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Navi Mumbai: In a shocking incident, the anti-narcotics team of the Mumbai Police was attacked by suspected drug traffickers during an operation in the Ulva area of Navi Mumbai last week. The incident occurred when the team conducted a raid in the Ulva locality while tracking suspects linked to a drug trafficking case who were located near Shagun Chowk.

When officers attempted to arrest them, the accused allegedly launched a violent attack on the police team using sharp weapons, including choppers, swords, hockey sticks and a village axe. In the attack, Assistant Police Inspector Kiran Mandhare of RCF Police Station was injured in the attack. Other police personnel, including Firoz Siddiqui, Ahmed Raza Qureshi and Atul Jaisawal, also sustained injuries and are currently undergoing treatment.

Following the attack, the senior police inspector at the Ulva Police station immediately sent a team of police for help. Moreover, a case has also been registered against all eight accused.

The report also stated that the Mumbai Police team did not seek help from the local police station before conducting the raid and had not informed the Navi Mumbai Police in advance about the operation.

Earlier In January 2026, three men were taken into custody for allegedly arguing with and assaulting traffic police personnel during a vehicle-checking drive at a naka bandi in Panvel on New Year’s Eve, leaving a traffic constable injured.

The incident took place around 2.30 am on December 31 at Shivshambho Naka, where traffic police had intensified checks as part of security arrangements for New Year celebrations.

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Crime

Mumbai: Court Relies On Dying Declaration, Acquits Husband And Other Relatives In 2018 Dowry-Linked Murder Case

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Mumbai: The sessions court has convicted two brothers for setting their sister-in-law ablaze while she was sleeping in Shivaji Nagar in March 2018. The two, Tejim Shaikh and Kafil Shaikh, were found guilty based on the victim, Farida Shaikh’s dying declaration and sentenced to life imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, the accused were residing with Farida and her husband Aftab Shaikh in Rafiq Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, due to work-related reasons. It was alleged that Farida was under physical and mental pressure following the death of her three-month-old daughter and was subjected to harassment over an insufficient dowry.

As per the case registered with the Shivaji Nagar police, a quarrel broke out on March 6, 2018, after Farida allegedly refused to allow Aftab to join his brothers. Later that night, around 2am, Farida felt kerosene being poured over her. She stated that Tejim was pouring the kerosene while Kafil stood nearby, and that Kafil then set her on fire with a matchbox.

Aftab later tried to extinguish the flames and rushed her to Rajwadi Hospital. Farida suffered burn injuries over about 92-95% of her body. Her statement was recorded by police during treatment, followed by a formal dying declaration before a Naib Tahsildar. She succumbed to her injuries on March 11, 2018, after which the accused were booked for murder and dowry harassment.

The defence argued that Farida had committed suicide by pouring kerosene on herself and challenged the dying declaration. However, the court rejected the claim and relied on her statement.

The court did not accept allegations of cruelty against the other family members, noting that they were vague and lacked specific details. It also acquitted Aftab, observing that Farida had not accused her husband of any role in the incident and had instead stated that he attempted to save her after she was set on fire.

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