Mumbai: The investigation into offences involving the procurement of incorrect birth registration certificates in Mumbai on the basis of forged documents is being carried out by the Crime Branch, Mumbai.

Raj Tilak Raushan, deputy commissioner of police, Crime Branch, stated, “During the course of investigation, as well as from other complaints received, it has come to light that a large number of such birth registration certificates have been obtained through similar fraudulent means.”

Considering the wide scope and seriousness of the matter, the Hon’ble Commissioner of Police, Brihanmumbai, has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough and effective investigation into these offences and the complaints received, Raushan added.

The said Special Investigation Team is headed by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) and comprises the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Mumbai, Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Branch), Mumbai, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection), Crime Branch, Mumbai, along with other officers.

In the wake of a BMC probe uncovering irregularities in over 87,000 birth and death records, Mumbai BJP president MLA Ameet Satam has demanded the immediate suspension of the officials involved and the registration of FIRs against them.

Last week, a shocking probe by the BMC Health Department exposed a massive racket in Mumbai’s civic system, with 87,347 bogus birth certificates allegedly issued to Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya residents, pointing to deep-rooted manipulation of official records.

Pune: The horrific sexual assault and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Nasrapur, Pune district, has triggered widespread outrage across Maharashtra, with growing demands for swift and severe punishment for the accused.

Amid this backdrop, Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, delivered a strongly worded response on Facebook on Tuesday, calling for the harshest possible action against the perpetrator — even suggesting that punishment should not be constrained by legal considerations.

Thackeray questioned the government’s repeated assurances of “fast-track” action, asking what the term truly means in practice. He criticised what he described as a reactive approach, where authorities act only after such tragic incidents occur.

According to him, crimes involving abduction and exploitation of women and girls have been rising consistently in Maharashtra, indicating a diminishing fear of law and consequences.

He also raised concerns over reports of police action against protesters in Nasrapur, asking why similar urgency is not shown in dealing with perpetrators of such heinous crimes. While acknowledging that the accused would eventually be punished, he stressed the need to examine why such incidents continue to recur.

Expanding his critique, Thackeray argued that Maharashtra is facing a deeper societal crisis. He said the state, historically known for pioneering women’s education and social reform, is now witnessing a breakdown in accountability and values. He attributed this to what he termed a growing obsession with power across all sections of society, from politics and business to cultural institutions.

According to him, this “power at any cost” mindset has eroded traditional checks and balances. Earlier, he said, social and moral accountability ensured restraint through elders, community pressure, or fear of public shame. That framework, he claimed, has weakened significantly, leading to a situation where individuals no longer fear consequences.

Thackeray also pointed to broader cultural and economic shifts. He argued that rapid changes brought by post-1990s liberalisation, combined with the influence of digital media, unchecked consumerism, and exposure to certain types of content, have disrupted the social fabric. In his view, while liberalisation brought opportunities, society failed to adapt its value systems accordingly.

He concluded by urging a comprehensive, long-term response rather than short-term outrage. Emphasising that his party is part of the same society, Thackeray said he would push for corrective measures to restore what he described as Maharashtra’s lost “focus” and “direction” and called on the government to act decisively to prevent such crimes in the future.

Mumbai, The Mumbai Crime Branch has filed an application in a special NDPS court seeking custody of Salim Dola, a close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, officials said on Tuesday.

Dola is currently in the custody of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) until May 8, where he is being interrogated in connection with drug-related cases.

The Mumbai Crime Branch will be able to take him into custody only after the court grants approval and his present remand with the NCB concludes.

By filing this application, the Crime Branch has requested the court to issue a production warrant, thereby enabling them to take Dola into their custody once his remand with the NCB expires.

As per legal protocol, the Crime Branch is required to first demonstrate to the court why the accused’s custody is deemed necessary. If the court determines that interrogation regarding other cases is warranted, it issues a production warrant, following which the concerned agency may take the accused into its custody.

The Crime Branch intends to seek consecutive custody of Dola for various cases, including in chronological order the Sangli drugs case, the Mysuru drugs case, and the Telangana drugs case, among several others.

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, Salim Dola has been a pivotal figure within several major drug trafficking networks.

Investigations have revealed his suspected involvement in the drug manufacturing cases uncovered in Sangli, Mysuru, and Telangana. Furthermore, his name also surfaced in connection with the seizure of 4 kilograms of MD drugs in 2024.

The Crime Branch believes that the interrogation of Dola could lead to the dismantling of a major drug syndicate.

The final decision regarding this matter now rests with the NDPS court.

Dola, 59, a resident of Mumbai, was the subject of an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued at India’s request in March 2024. He was wanted for prosecution in multiple narcotics trafficking cases and had been absconding from Indian law enforcement agencies for several years.

Dola’s two-decade-long criminal record includes direct involvement in high-value seizures of heroin, charas, mephedrone, Mandrax, and methamphetamine in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Investigations consistently identified Dola as a bulk supplier to downstream drug distribution networks in India. He was also wanted by the Gujarat ATS and the Mumbai Police.

Earlier, his son, Taher Salim Dola, along with other associates, was arrested by Mumbai Police after extradition from the UAE in 2025.