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Tollywood drugs case: Actor Ravi Teja appears before ED

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Tollywood actor Ravi Teja and his driver on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the 2017 drug case.

The popular actor reached the ED office here around 10 a.m. in response to the summons issued by the agency.

Ravi Teja’s driver and aide Srinivas also appeared before the ED officials. Both are likely to be questioned about their financial transactions.

Key accused Calvin Mascarenhas is also likely to be called for questioning again. His statement was recorded on Tuesday and the celebrities are being quizzed on the basis of his statement.

Ravi Teja is the sixth Tollywood personality to appear before ED. Director Puri Jagannadh and actors Charmee Kaur, Rakul Preet Singh, Nandu and Daggubati Rana were questioned since August 31.

Rana was questioned for nearly seven hours on Wednesday as part of the probe into suspected links of some celebrities with the accused involved in the case.

The ED had last month issued notices to 10 persons connected to Tollywood and two others including a private club manager as part of a money laundering probe linked to the case related to the smuggling of ‘Class A’ narcotic substances, including LSD and MDMA.

Actors Navdeep, Mumaith Khan and Tanish have also been summoned by the ED in connection the drugs racket which was busted with the arrest of drug peddlers in 2017.

Rana and Rakul Preet did not figure in the list of Tollywood celebrities questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana’s prohibition and excise department in 2017.

However, Rakul Preet was questioned by the Narcotics Control Bureau, Mumbai, last year in an alleged drugs nexus in Bollywood.

The drugs racket was busted on July 2, 2017 when customs officials arrested Calvin Mascarenhas, a musician, and two others and seized drugs worth Rs 30 lakh from their possession.

They had reportedly told the investigators that they are supplying drugs to film celebrities, software engineers, and even students of some corporate schools. Mobile numbers of some Tollywood celebrities were allegedly found in their contact lists.

The excise department had constituted SIT for a comprehensive probe. A total of 12 cases were registered, 30 people were arrested while 62 individuals including 11 people connected with Tollywood were examined by the SIT under section 67 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and section 161 of Criminal Procedure Code.

An American, a South African and a Netherlands national were among those arrested.

The SIT had collected blood, hair, nail and other samples from some of those who appeared before it for question and sent them for analysis.

The SIT filed charge sheet in eight out of 12 cases. It, however, gave clean chit to the film personalities who were questioned as part of the investigation.

Crime

Mumbai: Man Beaten To Death In Goregaon After Being Mistaken For Thief; 4 Arrested

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Mumbai: A 26-year-old man, identified as Harshal Parma, was brutally beaten to death by a group of people in Mumbai’s Goregaon area after they allegedly mistook him for a thief. The shocking incident occurred late on Monday night.

According to police officials, Parma’s hands and legs were tied before he was subjected to a severe beating. He sustained critical injuries during the assault and later succumbed to his wounds. Preliminary investigations suggest that the mob suspected him of attempting theft, though no conclusive evidence has been found to support this claim.

The Goregaon police acted swiftly and registered a case in connection with the assault. Four suspects have been arrested in the case, identified as Salman Mohammad Khan, Isamullah Khan, Gautam and Rajiv Gupta.

The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including charges of murder and unlawful assembly. Police officials stated that further investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, the Borivali Railway Police arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly molesting a woman at Borivali railway station in the early hours of October 19. The woman, whose mother had recently passed away in Nagpur, was waiting at platform number three around 1.30 am when the accused, reportedly under the influence of alcohol, approached and touched her inappropriately.

The woman immediately reported the incident to the railway police, who apprehended the accused soon after. A case has been registered under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty.

The accused, who works as a video editor for a production house, was produced in court and has been remanded to judicial custody. He is currently lodged in Thane jail. The police have withheld his identity as the investigation continues.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime: Case Registered Against Six Fishing Boat Operators For Illegally Entering ONGC’s Restricted Offshore Zone

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The Yellow Gate Police have registered a case against six unidentified fishing boat operators for illegally entering the restricted security zone surrounding Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) offshore platforms in the Arabian Sea between September 11 and October 11.

According to the complaint filed by Mubeen Aziz Ahmed (49), Chief Manager (Security) at ONGC, Maker Tower, Colaba, the accused repeatedly violated security regulations by entering the 500-metre prohibited area near several ONGC offshore installations without authorization.

Ahmed, who has been serving with ONGC since 2009, also coordinates with the Indian Navy’s Offshore Defence Advisory Group (ODAG) for marine security. In his statement, he noted that only naval, coast guard, and marine police vessels are permitted within the restricted radius — a rule mandated under a Ministry of External Affairs notification dated June 12, 2025.

Despite prior written warnings issued to the fisheries department on August 22, 2025, asking them to alert fishermen about the restricted zones, several boats were reportedly caught fishing near ONGC installations.

The Indian Navy’s ODAG informed ONGC via email that during routine patrols, they found the following vessels operating illegally inside the restricted zones: Ganga Maiya 5, Kalavati Shakti, Devyani, MFB Shree Mathu Mariamma, Shri Brahmhanmurti Chhaya, and Mahalaxmi Mauli.

These boats were reportedly sighted near ONGC’s offshore platforms, including MHN, B-193-A, Heera, and Bassein, operating dangerously close or even tying up to the structures.

Based on these repeated violations, the Yellow Gate Police registered an FIR under Section 223(b) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 120 of the Maharashtra Police Act, against six unidentified persons.

The complaint emphasized that unauthorized entry into ONGC’s restricted offshore zones poses a serious threat to national security and the safety of vital energy infrastructure.

Police have begun further investigations to identify the fishermen and their boats involved in the violations.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime: Police Bust Fake Packers And Movers Gang, Recover All Stolen Gold

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In a coordinated operation, the Sion and Kalachowki Police have arrested a gang that posed as employees of a packers and movers company and duped residents by stealing gold ornaments under the pretext of helping them shift household goods. Police successfully recovered 100% of the stolen property from the accused.

According to police reports, the first theft occurred on October 15, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., at Dosti Light, Sion, while the second incident took place the same evening, between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., at Manik Kunj, Meghwadi, Lalbaug, under Kalachowki Police limits.

In both cases, the accused arrived pretending to be from a packers and movers firm and escaped with valuables while loading household items.

At Sion, the gang made away with gold ornaments worth ₹8.8 lakh, while in Kalachowki, they stole 42 grams of gold ornaments and 250 grams of silver coins valued at ₹3.4 lakh.

Separate FIRs were registered — one at Sion Police Station under Sections 305 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and another at Kalachowki Police Station under Section 305(A) of the BNS.

Special tracking and technical teams from both stations were formed to identify and locate the culprits. Based on technical intelligence and tip-offs from informants, the Sion Police arrested the main accused, Sandeep Dinesh Vishwakarma (27), and recovered gold ornaments worth ₹8 lakh from him.

Meanwhile, the Kalachowki Police arrested four other gang members from Kandivali, identified as Pravin Phulchand Pandey (26), Durgesh Diwakant Mishra (26), Rakesh Baliram Yadav (20), and Pintu Baban Singh (28). Police confirmed that 100% of the stolen property in the Kalachowki case has been recovered.

The investigation team included Senior PI Vijaykumar Shinde (Kalachowki Police), Senior PI Anant Salunkhe (Sion Police), PSI Amit Bhosale, and several dedicated officers and constables. Their swift action and coordinated efforts led to the timely arrest of all culprits and full recovery of stolen valuables, earning praise from senior officials.

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