New Delhi, Nov 15: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Ocean Seven Buildtech Pvt. Ltd. (OSBPL) Managing Director Swaraj Singh Yadav after conducting searches at nine locations across Delhi-NCR and other regions in a money-laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, an agency statement said on Saturday.

The action stems from allegations that Yadav diverted and laundered funds collected from homebuyers across multiple projects, including those under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

The searches on Thursday led to the recovery of Rs 86 lakh in cash, suspected to be proceeds of crime, along with incriminating documents and digital evidence.

According to the ED, Yadav orchestrated a large-scale diversion of homebuyer funds through fraudulent cancellation and resale of units at inflated prices, cash-based premiums collected outside banking channels, and misuse of escrow accounts.

He allegedly routed substantial sums into shell entities and concealed cash proceeds with relatives, the ED statement said.

Investigators also found a pattern of rapid liquidation of assets held personally and through company entities in Gurugram, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, which the agency believes was intended to secure illicit gains and evade legal scrutiny.

His wife and children have already relocated to the United States, the probe revealed.

The agency said Yadav operated a dual-payment mechanism in the resale of PMAY flats and even in the sale of parking spaces — routing only nominal amounts through banks while collecting the bulk in cash. These activities form part of a wider probe linked to multiple FIRs alleging cheating, forgery, and other predicate offences.

Following his arrest, Yadav was produced before the Court of ASJ-06 at Patiala House Courts on Friday, in compliance with Supreme Court directions.

After detailed submissions from both sides and a pass-over granted to allow him legal assistance, the court sent him to ED custody for 14 days, until November 28.

The agency has been directed to produce him before the court at 2 p.m. on the date of expiry of remand.

The ED said it is pursuing further investigation to trace, freeze, and attach assets acquired from the laundered funds, to ensure recovery and restitution to affected homebuyers.

Mumbai: Bangur Nagar Police have arrested two men from Mumbai’s Goregaon West for stealing a mobile phone that an autorickshaw driver had strapped to his steering wheel for navigation. The accused, Sohail Khan (26) and Sandeep Mohite (36), both residents of the Bhagat Singh Nagar slum, were taken into custody after the midnight theft on November 11. Police said both men are currently unemployed.

The incident occurred around 12.30 am on Link Road near the slum colony. the complainant, 44-year-old rickshaw driver Manoj Sav, was seated in his vehicle waiting for passengers when the duo swiftly snatched his phone, worth Rs 6,000. The device had been secured to the steering using a rubber band. Sav realised the theft only later and later lodged a complaint at Bangur Nagar Police Station.

During the investigation, police first traced and arrested Sohail Khan. His interrogation led officers to the second accused, Mohite. Based on their statements, police recovered two stolen mobile phones worth Rs 11,000, indicating that the men had likely committed multiple thefts in the area.

Further checks revealed an extensive criminal history for Mohite. Police records showed he has 22 previous cases registered across Bangur Nagar, Goregaon and Kasturba Marg police stations. Due to his repeated involvement in theft and related offences, Mohite had previously been externed from city limits by DCP Sandeep Jadhav. Khan, too, has two prior cases registered against him at Goregaon and Bangur Nagar.

Police officials said the arrests have helped crack multiple theft incidents reported recently and added that further investigation is underway to determine whether the duo were involved in additional crimes.

Mumbai, November 14: A 19-year-old BCom student from Malad has accused a local transgender gang of forcing him into gender reassignment surgery, blackmailing him and subjecting him to physical and mental abuse over several months. The teen, a resident of Appapada in Kurar village, told police he became friends with Kaveri, also known as Kartik Vedamani Nikam, around a year and a half ago. Through this acquaintance, he met Neha Khan, also known as Neha Ipte, who allegedly headed a transgender group in Malwani.

According to the complaint, the student was called to Neha’s home on August 5, where Neha, Kaveri, Bhaskar Shetty and Mahi allegedly tried to convince him to undergo gender transition. When he refused, they reportedly locked him in a room, assaulted him and forced him to perform obscene acts which were filmed. The video was then allegedly used to demand money. His mother transferred ten thousand rupees out of fear.

Over the next two months, the gang allegedly demanded more money and publicly humiliated him. He says he was beaten, made to wear a saree and forced to beg.

The complaint states that on October 28, Neha, her husband Sohail Khan, their adopted son Bhaskar and others took him to a hospital near Ripple Mall in Surat. There, he was allegedly compelled to sign papers and was subjected to gender reassignment surgery. After returning to Mumbai, he claims Neha poured hot water on his operated area and forced him to do chores. She allegedly demanded four and a half lakh rupees to release him.

The teen escaped on November 4 but was allegedly abducted again hours later. A local resident intervened and he was freed. A zero FIR was filed at Kurar police station before the case was transferred to Malwani police.

“Based on the victim’s statement, we have booked the accused under sections related to conspiracy, kidnapping, sexual assault, extortion and forced medical mutilation,” an officer said. Police have arrested four people and the probe is ongoing.