Mumbai: The Kasturba Marg police on Friday registered an FIR against four people, including Maharashtra Congress’s environment cell state president Sameer Vartak, who are accused of allegedly forcibly entering the Borivali residence of builder Anil Gupta on September 2, 2024 by posing as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers and advising a ‘raid’.

The CBI has registered a case against four people, including a Congress worker, for conducting raids at the builder’s house. After the case was registered, the Congress has sacked Sameer Vartak from his post. Congress leader Harshvardhan Sapkal has resigned. The CBI has registered a case against four people, including a Congress worker, for conducting raids at the builder’s house. Vartak, who heads the environment cell of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, is accused of raiding the builder’s house along with three unidentified people posing as CBI officers after receiving a complaint and trying to extort money from him.

Gupta, 51, who owns a Vasai-based construction firm and is active in the Vasai-Virar area, lives in Kushal Heritage Building in Borivali East. Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had searched his premises in connection with a land grabbing case related to the construction of 41 unauthorised buildings in Aggarwal Nagar, Vasai East. In his police complaint, Gupta said that on September 2, 2024, two men went to his house and claimed to be CBI officers, saying they were investigating a complaint filed against him by Vartak. They asked him to come down for questioning. When Gupta refused and asked for a copy of the complaint, the men called Vartak, who was allegedly waiting outside the building. Soon after, Vartak and another man who claimed to be a CBI officer arrived there. Gupta alleged that the group of four men threatened to arrest him and demanded a financial “settlement” to settle the case.

Gupta refused, saying he would cooperate with any legal investigation. The men then left, warning him that he would be summoned to the CBI office. Gupta approached the CBI headquarters in Delhi to confirm the claim and was told that no such complaint had been filed by Vartak. On November 19, the CBI wrote a letter to the Maharashtra Director General of Police, requesting him to take action against those involved. Gupta then approached the Kasturba Marg police with a formal complaint and CCTV footage from his residence to identify the accused. The police have registered a case under sections 3(5) (common intention), 204 (cheating by impersonating a public servant), 205 (forgery of official symbols) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Naya Sangh (BNS).

Senior police inspector Jiraj Ranavare said, “We conducted a preliminary inquiry and confirmed that these people were not CBI officials. We are confirming the identity of the three people who were with Vartak.” Vartak has denied the allegations. I was called to the spot by some people who introduced themselves as CBI officers. I had filed a complaint against Gupta and was just cooperating. It seems this is part of political vendetta, I am ready to face any investigation.

Mumbai: In a major revelation in the high-profile murder case of NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) leader Baba Siddique, Mumbai Crime Branch sources have confirmed that Zeeshan Akhtar — currently detained in Canada — was not initially associated with the Bishnoi gang. He was allegedly recruited and brainwashed by Akash Chauhan, a key operative of the Bishnoi syndicate, at the behest of Anmol Bishnoi.

According to investigators, Zeeshan was previously affiliated with the rival Bambiha gang in Punjab and was considered a trusted hitman. Sources claim Akash Chauhan — currently lodged in Faridkot jail — played a crucial role in securing Zeeshan’s release from Jalandhar jail and persuaded him to join the Bishnoi gang with promises of lakhs in payment.

The turning point came after the Bishnoi syndicate decided to eliminate Baba Siddique. Acting on Anmol Bishnoi’s instructions from Patiala Jail, Akash Chauhan identified Zeeshan as a potential recruit. Chauhan then arranged for Zeeshan’s bail and, upon his release on June 7, Zeeshan met Chauhan directly.

It was during this meeting, sources said, that Zeeshan was convinced to take part in the murder plot. Under Chauhan’s instructions, Zeeshan recruited shooter Gurmel Singh and dispatched him to Mumbai. Zeeshan then contacted another wanted accused, Shubham Lonkar, to help orchestrate the plan.

Crime Branch officers are now preparing to designate Akash Chauhan as an accused in the case and initiate his transfer from Punjab to Mumbai for questioning. Officials confirmed that Chauhan has long-standing links with the Bishnoi syndicate and has played a role in several past contract killings.

Meanwhile, efforts to bring Zeeshan Akhtar back to India from Canada are actively underway, with Mumbai Crime Branch working closely with the CBI and international agencies. Investigators believe that Zeeshan’s interrogation could lead to more major revelations in the days to come.

Mumbai– In a distressing incident that has sparked widespread outrage, a frail elderly woman suffering from advanced skin cancer was discovered dumped in a garbage heap in Aarey Colony early on Saturday morning. The victim, later identified as Yashoda Gaikwad (approximately 60–70 years old), alleged that her own grandson had callously abandoned her among rotting waste.

A tip-off to the police control room led officers to Unit No. 32 road in Aarey Colony at around 8:30 am, where they found her lying helplessly in a pink nightdress and grey petticoat, her face marred by a festering ulcer typical of late-stage skin cancer.

Constable Rathod and Woman Police Constable Nikita Kolekar rushed her to *Jogeshwari Trauma Care, but she was turned away due to lack of resources. A subsequent attempt at *Cooper Hospital also failed, with hospital authorities advising police to find a better-equipped centre. It was only eight hours later, at around 5:30 pm, that Cooper Hospital finally admitted her after Senior Inspector Ravindra Patil intervened.

Medical Diagnosis & Current Condition

Dr. Sudhir Medhekar, Dean of Cooper Hospital, stated Ms. Gaikwad has an “ulceroproliferative growth” on her nose and cheek. Her vital signs—blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels, and blood sugar—are now stable. The provisional diagnosis is basal cell carcinoma.

Upon regaining consciousness, Ms. Gaikwad reportedly told authorities: “My grandson left me here.” She also provided two addresses—one in *Malad, the other in *Kandivali. Mumbai police have circulated her photo to all stations and are reviewing CCTV from nearby lanes, though the garbage site itself lacks surveillance footage links.
Senior Inspector Patil appealed to the public:

This case has triggered widespread condemnation, highlighting not only familial neglect but also deficiencies in hospital response systems. An Aarey police officer remarked:

• The police are actively tracing Ms. Gaikwad’s grandson and other relatives.
• More CCTV reviews are ongoing in hopes of tracking her movement to Aarey.
• Legal action, including charges of abandonment and potential elder abuse, is under consideration.

This deeply unsettling incident serves as a wake-up call—with calls for systemic reform regarding eldercare, hospital triage protocols, and social responsibility. Our heartfelt wishes go out to Ms. Gaikwad, and we hope justice is served swiftly.