Crime
Mumbai: SIIB Foils Rs 10 Crore Red Sandalwood Smuggling Plot, Arrests Importer-Exporter Code Holder
The Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB-Export) has apprehended Santosh Nalawade, an allegedly key figure in an interstate smuggling network, for his involvement in a red sandalwood smuggling operation involving 9.6 metric tons valued at Rs 10 crore.
IEC Holder For Elite Exim Trading, Santosh Nalawade Arrested
Nalawade, the Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) holder for Elite Exim Trading, had been evading authorities for several days but was apprehended on Tuesday. He was presented before the Uran Court, which remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody. This marks the third and crucial arrest in the case, following the earlier arrests of transporter Akshay Bhausaheb Aher and driver Ganesh Sukhadare, who are associates of Nalawade.
About Santosh Nalawade
According to officials Nalawade is alleged to be one of the masterminds in an organized smuggling ring with international links He had planned to export 9.6 tons of red sandalwood to Sharjah under the guise of “Western Combat Toilets.” The operation was meticulously planned, with contingency measures such as a “Plan B” to evade arrest and prevent the full scope of the scheme from being exposed and to shield other syndicate members. These strategies are reportedly adopted by techniques seen in movies.
About The Smuggling Plot
A senior officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, has revealed the Nalawade in collusion with smuggling network syndicates had meticulously orchestrated the operation. He booked two containers, aided in numbering the both with same number, and handed over the delivery order of these containers to other masterminds. One container loaded on a truck, labeled as carrying “Western commode toilet seats,” was stationed at Sarveshwar CFS in JNPT SEZ, Navi Mumbai, under Elite Exim Trading’s name, and had officially declared the cargo as a delivery destined for a Sharjah-based company. while the second container, filled with red sandalwood logs worth Rs 10 crores, was waiting at a distant location from the port.
On September 2nd, the container stationed at Sarveshwar CFS, loaded with the Western commode toilet seats, underwent rigorous scrutiny and received customs clearance from the SIIB. After clearance, the truck loaded with this container was dispatched to JNCH Port for loading onto an international vessel. However, the truck with its sealed container mysteriously disappeared and diverted to the location where the second truck, loaded with red sandalwood consignment, was waiting. Both containers had identical specifications, including size, weight, and the same container number. The red sandalwood truck with a container, using customs documents for the toilet seats, proceeded to the BMCT port terminal at Nhava Sheva, aiming to smuggle the cargo. following the instructions of masterminds including Nalawade. Meanwhile, the original truck, which was carrying Western commode toilet seats, returned to the supplier with its cargo, despite having already been cleared for export by SIIB.
However, acting on a critical tip-off, the SIIB mobilized and intercepted the container containing the illicit cargo.
The investigation revealed that Nalawade’s operation was designed to keep participants isolated and unaware of each other to avoid exposing the broader network if any member was apprehended. He aimed to avoid any loopholes, which is why he did not hire a Customs House Agent (CHA) for the consignment export. Instead, he managed the consignment through his own company. Nalawade in collusion with syndicate members used the tricky tactic to collect red sandalwood consignments from Pune and Ahmednagar.
This strategy was designed so that if any individual were apprehended by law enforcement, customs, or any other agency, they would not be able to reveal further links or connections within the operation.
The arrested transporter, Akshay Bhausaheb Aher, and the driver, Ganesh Sukhadare—both associates of Nalawade—revealed crucial details during the investigation.
According to Sukhadare, he had collected an empty container from M/s Bhavani Empty Container on Aher’s instructions. After retrieving the container, Sukhadare left the truck with the empty container in private parking near T-Point, Pushpak Nagar, with the keys inside the cabin. He was aware that someone else would later relocate the vehicle to an undisclosed location, a few days before the smuggling operation. The vehicle carrying the empty container was then moved to the border areas of Pune and Ahmednagar District by an unidentified person hired by Nalawade for the collection and transport of the illicit goods, red sandalwood, totaling 9,260 kg valued at approximately Rs 10 crore, and reached the Navi Mumbai border area on September 3.
As planned, the truck carrying the red sandalwood, with its container swapped and accompanied by customs clearance documents, arrived at Nhava Sheva port, where it was intercepted by the SIIB following a critical tip-off.
The SIIB is currently investigating the Pune/Ahmednagar locations where the truck carrying the container was parked and loaded with Red Sanders. This investigation aims to pinpoint the exact collection points and to identify the individuals involved. Additionally, the SIIB is probing the state supplier and the recipient in Sharjah-based consignee.
Crime
Delhi govt notifies compensation of up to Rs 7.5 lakh each for unnatural death of jail inmates

New Delhi, Aug 2: The Delhi government has notified a compensation scheme – with relief amounts ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh – for the next of kin or legal heirs of prisoners who suffer an unnatural death during custody in city prisons, said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the scheme, notified in accordance with the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), will ensure timely relief to affected families in specified cases while further strengthening administrative accountability.
According to the notification issued by the Home (General) Department of the Delhi Government, the scheme will be implemented as the Scheme for Payment of Compensation on Account of Death of Prisoners in Delhi Prison, 2025, said a statement.
It will apply only to cases involving the unnatural death of a prisoner in any Delhi prison on or after the date of notification of the scheme. As per the notification, compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh will be paid to the family of a deceased prisoner in cases where death occurs due to clashes between inmates or alleged torture or assault by prison personnel, it said.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh has been prescribed in cases involving negligence by prison authorities or staff, negligence by medical or paramedical personnel, or suicide by a prisoner, it said.
The notification makes it clear that no compensation will be payable in cases of natural death or death caused by illness. It further states that deaths occurring while escaping from prison or from lawful custody, as well as deaths caused by disasters or calamities, will not be covered under the scheme, said the statement.
Under the scheme, the Jail Superintendent concerned will be required to submit the magisterial inquiry report, post-mortem report, final cause of death, the prisoner’s medical history, and details of the treatment provided before death to the Director General (Prisons), Delhi, in every case, it said.
Crime
Delhi Police reunite 124 missing kids, adults with families under ‘Operation Milap’

New Delhi, Aug 2: The Delhi Police have reunited 124 people, including 43 missing or kidnapped children and 81 missing adults, with their families during July under their ongoing ‘Operation Milap’.
According to a press release issued on Sunday, South-West District Police said the recoveries were made between July 1 and July 31, following coordinated search operations launched immediately after reports of missing or kidnapped persons were received.
Calling the initiative “Operation Milap: Reuniting Families with Dedication and Compassion”, the police said the recovered individuals were “safely reunited with their families” after sustained efforts by police teams across the district.
According to the release, the search operations involved extensive local enquiries, analysis of CCTV footage, and circulation of photographs of the missing persons at auto-rickshaw stands, e-rickshaw stands, bus terminals and railway stations. Police teams also questioned bus drivers, conductors and vendors to trace the movement of the missing individuals, while local informers were roped in to assist the investigations. Records of nearby police stations and hospitals were also checked as part of the search.
“As a result of these swift and coordinated efforts, South-West District Police succeeded in tracing 124 missing persons/children (43 missing/kidnapped children and 81 missing adults) between 01.07.2026 and 31.07.2026,” the release said.
It added that “the police teams displayed dedication and professionalism in locating and safely reuniting these individuals with their families under Operation Milap”.
The police also highlighted the district’s cumulative performance this year, stating that 990 missing persons and children, including 269 children and 721 adults, have been traced and reunited with their families between January 1 and July 31.
Among individual police stations, Kapashera Police Station recorded the highest number of recoveries during July, tracing 28 missing persons, including 14 missing or kidnapped children and 14 adults. Palam Village Police Station recovered 11 missing persons, while Sagarpur Police Station traced 15 individuals, including five children and 10 adults. Vasant Kunj South Police Station recovered 17 missing persons, including five children and 12 adults.
The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the South-West District traced 10 missing persons, including nine children, while the District Missing Persons Unit (DMPU) traced 13 missing adults during the month.
The release also noted that several of the recovered persons had been missing for years. During the July operations, police traced 12 adults reported missing in 2020, one woman missing since 2021, five persons linked to 2024 cases, two persons missing since 2025, and 104 persons reported missing in 2026, comprising 41 minors and 63 adults.
Reaffirming its commitment to public service, the South-West District Police said Operation Milap had helped ensure the safe return of 124 missing individuals to their homes. The force said its “compassionate approach, coupled with methodical investigations and swift action, brought hope and relief to many grieving families”.
Crime
Manipur: Security forces arrest 9 militants, recover arms; destroy six IEDs

Imphal, Aug 2: The security forces in Manipur, in separate intelligence-based operations, have arrested nine militants belonging to different banned insurgent outfits and recovered arms, ammunition and other incriminating materials during the past 24 hours, officials said on Sunday.
A senior police official said the nine militants were apprehended in Thoubal, Tamenglong, Kakching, Chandel, Imphal West and Imphal East districts during coordinated operations by the Manipur Police and other security agencies.
The arrested militants belong to the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), its political wing the Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), and the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK).
According to the police, the arrested insurgents were allegedly involved in a range of criminal activities, including kidnapping and the forcible collection of “subscriptions”, a euphemism commonly used by insurgent groups for extortion.
The security personnel recovered several incriminating documents, subscription receipts, cash, seals and letterheads of the banned outfits, Baofeng communication handsets and various other materials from the possession of the arrested militants.
In another joint operation, the security forces recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from a forest area under Moreh Police Station in Tengnoupal district, which shares an unfenced international border with Myanmar.
The recovered items include one 9 mm pistol, one double-barrel gun, six radio sets, two hand grenades and six powerful Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Police said the IEDs were safely destroyed on the spot by the bomb disposal team following standard operating procedures.
Meanwhile, Director General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Singh, accompanied by the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in charge of Law and Order and Intelligence, visited the historic 1st Battalion of the Manipur Rifles in Imphal, one of the oldest battalions in the state with a legacy spanning 134 years.
During the visit, the DGP was briefed about the history of the Manipur Police, beginning with the raising of the 1st Manipur Rifles in 1892, and its evolution and contributions over the years.
An official statement said that the Manipur Police is not only a law enforcement agency but also an integral part of the state’s history, growth and institutional reforms.
The DGP inspected several key facilities of the British-era heritage battalion, including the Quarter Guard, the Manipur Police Officers’ Club, the Banquet Hall, the Transport Wing, the Parade Ground, the Church, the Temple, the Canteen and the Petrol Pump.
He also interacted with officers and personnel of the battalion, during which various issues relating to the revamping of the unit, adherence to deployment protocols, regular inspections and compliance mechanisms were discussed in detail.
The statement said that valuable feedback and suggestions were shared to ensure the battalion’s continued development and the implementation of projects suited to modern-day policing requirements.
Meanwhile, the security forces, comprising both Central Armed Police Forces and the Manipur Police, have continued extensive counter-insurgency operations, including search operations and area domination exercises, in fringe, mixed-population and other vulnerable areas across the state.
As part of the intensified security measures, a total of 111 nakas and checkpoints have been set up across both the valley and hill districts to curb the movement of militants, anti-social elements and suspicious vehicles.
The security forces have also been providing escorts to vehicles, including trucks transporting essential commodities, along the strategically important Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37).
Strict security arrangements and convoy protection continue to remain in place in vulnerable stretches of the highway to ensure the safe and uninterrupted movement of passenger and goods vehicles.
The Manipur Police have also appealed to the public not to believe rumours or unverified information and advised people to remain vigilant against fake videos and misleading content circulating on various social media platforms.
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