Mumbai: After FIRs registered against the directors of The Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd (Rapido) in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, the Amboli police have now filed a case against directors of Ola company for allegedly operating bike-taxi services illegally within Mumbai city without a licence or permission from the Maharashtra State Government or the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).

The case was registered on December 5 based on a complaint received from the Regional Transport Office (RTO). Media contacted both companies; however, the management of Ola and Rapido has not yet responded. The RTO took action against the two-wheelers of both companies between November 11 and December 3 in Andheri West.

Babu Teli, 36, a Motor Vehicle Inspector with the RTO, filed a complaint and the case was filed under Sections 318(3) (cheating) and 223 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 66, 93, 192(A), 193 and 197 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

According to the FIR, both Rapido and Ola have not received any permission from the government and were operating their vehicles via mobile applications, facilitating passenger transport without the requisite approvals and allegedly earning financial gains. The FIR further stated that both companies were risking passengers’ lives by conducting illegal transportation on two-wheelers. It also noted that the companies did not verify the drivers’ character certificates and failed to follow safety rules.

Thane, Dec 06: Thane City’s NDPS branch has achieved a major success. Under an on-ground operation, the police have exposed an active gang selling narcotic substances. In this action, the police have recovered approximately 02 kg 201 grams of hashish (charas), the market value of which is estimated to be one crore ten lakh sixty-five thousand rupees.

This operation was led by Senior Police Inspector Nitin Shinde. His team included officers and personnel from the crime branch, who carried out this action based on secret information.

Police had received information that some individuals were selling hashish and other intoxicating substances in the Mumbra area. Following this, the team laid a trap, cordoned off, and caught the suspect in the Bandewadi area. A large quantity of hashish was recovered from his possession upon search.

The suspected accused has been identified as Moin Khan, alias Hasrat Ali Siddiqui. Preliminary interrogation revealed that he used to illegally procure hashish from Jammu and Kashmir and sell it in Thane, Mumbai, and surrounding areas. The accused already has several serious crimes registered against him.

In this regard, Mumbra Police has registered a case under NDPS Act 20(a)(i)(b), 29, and further investigation is underway. The police are also trying to find out who else is involved in this network and how far this hashish supply chain extends.

Vasai: A gang specializing in stealing mobile tower batteries has become active in the Vasai-Virar region. The Crime Detection Branch team of the Pelhar Police has successfully arrested members of this gang. Stolen goods worth ₹6 lakhs have been confiscated from them.

While incidents of house burglaries, mobile thefts, vehicle thefts, and chain snatching are occurring in Vasai-Virar, the area is now seeing cases of theft of mobile tower batteries installed for networking purposes.

Recently, twenty-four batteries belonging to the Indus Company’s mobile phone tower, valued at ₹50,000, were stolen by unknown thieves from the Arshad Compound area within the jurisdiction of the Pelhar Police Station. A case was filed at the police station regarding this incident.

Taking the seriousness of the crime into account, Senior Police Inspector Sachin Kamble instructed the Crime Detection Branch team to investigate the matter.

Accordingly, the detection team, led by Assistant Police Inspector Ramesh Waghchaure, Police Sub-Inspector Tukaram Bhople, and their team, started the investigation. It was discovered that a pickup Bolero vehicle was being used for the crimes and that the accused were employed at ARC Company (related to mobile phone towers).

Police tracked down and arrested three individuals: Aurangzeb Sarwar Ansari (19), Parvez Ghulam Rasul Shah (24), and Rafiq Aminsab Sheikh (38). Police reported seizing property worth ₹6 lakh 12 thousand from them.

The operation was conducted by the team comprising Senior Police Inspector Sachin Kamble, Police Inspector (Crime) Shivaji Patil, Crime Detection Team Assistant Police Inspector Ramesh Waghchaure, Police Sub-Inspector Tukaram Bhople, Faujdar Yogesh Deshmukh, Police Constables Tanaji Chavan, Valmik Patil, Abhijit Nevare, Ravi Wankhede, Ashok Parjane, Anil Waghmare, Wasim Sheikh, Amol Masse, and others.