Latest news with #Anti-NarcoticsCell
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Time of India
Drug cartel kingpin deported from Malaysia in custody of Navi Mumbai police, one aide held from Nerul
NAVI MUMBAI: The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) unit of the Navi Mumbai crime branch took custody of the drug cartel kingpin, Navi Chichkar, who was arrested in May by the Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau in the Rs 1,000 crore drug seizure case. ANC team also took custody of Chickar's aide identified as Prabhat Pandey (30). Chichkar was deported from Malaysia after a red-corner notice was issued against him. The custody of Chichkar' and Pandey was taken by the Navi Mumbai ANC in connection with the seizure of 17.2 grams of hydro ganja worth Rs 2.80 lakh on April 14. This followed a raid conducted on a tip-off about a drug deal being carried out in a terrace flat in Sector-15, Nerul. The flat owner, Ashish Gaware (22), and Ahmed Aulagi (23) were arrested, but their associate, Akash Maurya, escaped and is still untraceable. Sandeep Nigade, senior inspector of the ANC, said, "The alleged drug kingpin, Navin Chichkar and his aide Pandey were produced before the Belapur JMFC court and remanded in police custody untill June 16. Till date, 18 accused have been arrested in the drugs cartel operated by kingpin Navin Chichkar and 14 more accused are wanted." After a fortnight of the drug seizure, the Navi Mumbai crime branch team arrested a former national hockey player, a customs superintendent, a clearing agent, two police constables, and two angadias in connection with the April 14 hydro ganja bust by the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC). The alleged kingpin of this drug cartel was Naveen Chichkar, the elder son of builder Gurunath Chichkar, who shot himself in the head at his Belapur office on April 25. Chichkar's police custody was obtained for further interrogation, informed a crime branch officer. Builder Gurunath Chichkar left behind a note in which he alleged being 'harassed' by cops who repeatedly summoned him for inquiry into the drug cases filed against his sons, Naveen and Dhiraj. After the April 14 drug bust in Nerul, during interrogation, the arrested duo, Gaware and Aulagi, revealed the names of former hockey player Sujit Bangera and Sahil Lambe (27), both Nerul residents, who allegedly smuggled the hydro ganja from Thailand to Mumbai via flights. At Mumbai airport, the contraband was cleared by customs clearing agent Kamal Chandwani (56) and customs superintendent Prashant Gaur (40), both Kharghar residents, who were also arrested. During the investigation, the police found that Kharghar police constable Sandeep Bhalerao (40) was communicating with Chandwani for the past six months, and ANC unit constable Sanjay Phulkar (36) was in touch with Bhalerao since the cartel bust. Hence, the two cops were also arrested. Further investigation showed that the cash obtained by Bangera and Chandwani from the sale of hydro ganja was routed to Thailand through two Vashi-based angadias, Ankit Patel and Rinkunkumar Patel, who converted it into cryptocurrency, and hence they too were arrested.
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Cops bust drugs cartel, arrest 7, including a British national
MUMBAI: An international drug cartel was busted by the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of Mumbai Police with the arrest of seven people. The police said among the arrested is a British national, who is the kingpin of the racket and smuggled the drugs into the country via Mozambique - a transshipment point for illicit drug trafficking. 'Acting on a tip-off, our teams on May 28 arrested Kuldeep Singh Harjeet Singh Gozara, 50, a resident of De Vere Gardens, Kensington, an affluent locality in London. He was carrying a trolley bag and when that was checked, our teams found 5.02 kg of cocaine, valued at around ₹52 crore, in it,' said a police officer. Gozara was picked up from Jogeshwari East where he had come to deliver the consignment. He is originally from Punjab but settled in London, said the police officer. The Worli Unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell started a probe after the arrest of Gozara to trace his buyers and suppliers. Following his interrogation, they arrested Shaikh Mohammad Arif Uddin, who stays in Mozambique in East Africa, and is believed to be a Bangladeshi national. 'We also arrested Mahendra Preji, who hails from Diu Island. Our teams further arrested Abdul Samad Afzal Memon, Parvez Afaq and Rishabh Edris,' said the police officer. Police also seized various codes from them related to hawala payments which are being scrutinized. 'We have found that the accused made several trips to Mozambique and Dubai. Our interrogations are at the primary stage and the seized drugs' value is around ₹52 crore,' said the officer.
India Gazette
07-06-2025
- India Gazette
Delhi: Two juveniles held for stabbing 16-year-old boy to death in Anand Parbat area
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): Two juveniles have been apprehended in connection with the stabbing death of a 16-year-old boy in Delhi's Anand Parbat area, police said on Saturday. On June 2, police received information about a grievously injured and unconscious boy lying near Durga Mandir in Taliwalan Basti. A police team reached the spot immediately. As per the statement, an eyewitness informed the police that while he was returning home with the victim, two unidentified boys approached from behind and stabbed the 16-year-old before fleeing. The victim was rushed to RML Hospital, where he was declared brought dead, police said. Following the incident, an FIR (No. 275/25) was registered under Sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code at Police Station Anand Parbat, and the investigation began. According to DCP Nidhin Valsan's statement, the police team analysed CCTV footage from the surrounding areas and developed local intelligence. On June 5, based on credible secret information, two juveniles were apprehended. During questioning, the juveniles admitted to their involvement in the incident, as per the police. Based on their disclosure, a blood-stained knife, believed to be the weapon of offence, was recovered from a park near Jeewan Mala Hospital. The case is under further investigation, and the Juvenile Justice Act is processing the accused. In a separate incident, the Delhi Police solved a sensational murder case reported from the Bindapur area and arrested a 24-year-old man, Nitish Dass. The arrest was made by a joint team comprising personnel from the Anti-Narcotics Cell and the Bindapur police station, operating under the Dwarka district. The case came to light on May 9, 2025, when the Bindapur police station received a PCR call in the evening. The caller, Baleshwar Dass, informed police that his son, Akhilesh, had been strangled and his body had been left outside their rented home in Phase-2, JJ Colony, Sector 3, Dwarka. A case was registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and an investigation was launched without delay. Given the gravity of the offence, a special investigation team was formed under the supervision of Inspector Subhash Chand of the Anti-Narcotics Cell and Inspector Darshan Lal, SHO of Bindapur police station. The police analysed CCTV footage from the crime scene and surrounding areas and reviewed the activities of known local criminals. During this process, a suspect--later identified as Nitish Dass--was seen near the crime scene in CCTV footage. On May 11, a head constable from the Anti-Narcotics Cell received a key tip-off through secret informers that confirmed Dass's identity and involvement. After several days of surveillance, the police tracked the accused to Nawada in Bihar. On May 14, a police team apprehended Nitish Dass in Nawada with support from local authorities and brought him back to Delhi for further legal action. (ANI)
Hans India
06-06-2025
- Hans India
Education Fraudster Caught At Airport While Fleeing To Thailand
Pune's Crime Branch successfully apprehended a Bihar-based education counselor on Thursday for orchestrating an elaborate online fraud scheme that exploited students seeking college admissions. The suspect had been using the stolen identity of a prestigious Pune educational institution to deceive prospective students with false admission guarantees. Kunal Kumar, the primary accused in the case, was captured at Kolkata airport along with his wife as they attempted to flee the country on a flight bound for Thailand. Authorities had previously issued a lookout notice to prevent his international departure, and intelligence information led to their timely interception before boarding their escape flight. Senior Inspector Ulhas Kadam from the Anti-Narcotics Cell confirmed that Kumar was immediately transported to Pune for detailed interrogation and legal proceedings following his detention at the airport. The fraudulent operation involved Kumar creating deceptive online advertisements that illegally used the name, official website design, logo, and promotional images of a well-established Pune-based educational institution. Through these fake advertisements, he enticed students with false assurances of securing admissions to various academic programs in return for monetary payments. The scam was exposed when the legitimate educational institution discovered the unauthorized misuse of their institutional identity and branding materials. This discovery prompted them to file formal cheating charges against Kumar and two additional accomplices at Deccan Gymkhana Police Station on April 2, 2024. Following the initial complaint, investigative teams conducted extensive manhunt operations spanning multiple states including Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi in their pursuit of the suspects. Kumar successfully evaded capture for several months by continuously relocating across state boundaries and maintaining a low profile. The investigation also uncovered Kumar's involvement in an earlier cybercrime case that was registered with Pune Cyber Crime Police in 2021. Despite his anticipatory bail application being rejected by the sessions court, he had failed to surrender to authorities as required, demonstrating a pattern of evading legal accountability. This arrest highlights the increasing sophistication of education-related fraud schemes that specifically target vulnerable students and families desperately seeking legitimate admission opportunities. The case demonstrates how criminals exploit the desperation of students and parents by impersonating reputable institutions and making false promises about guaranteed admissions in exchange for substantial fees. The multi-state investigation required significant coordination between different police departments and showcases the determination of law enforcement agencies to pursue fraudsters who attempt to escape justice by crossing state and national boundaries. Kumar's attempt to flee to Thailand indicates the international scope that such fraud operations can potentially reach if not intercepted in time.
Hans India
06-06-2025
- Hans India
Bihar Education Counselor Nabbed At Kolkata Airport For Fraudulent College Admission Scam
The Crime Branch of Pune Police successfully apprehended a Bihar-based education counselor on Thursday for orchestrating an elaborate online admission fraud scheme. The suspect had been impersonating a prestigious Pune educational institution through unauthorized use of their official branding materials. Kunal Kumar, the primary accused in the case, was detained at Kolkata airport alongside his spouse as they attempted to board an international flight to Thailand. Law enforcement had previously issued a lookout circular to prevent his departure from the country, and acting on intelligence inputs, authorities intercepted the couple before their planned escape. Senior Inspector Ulhas Kadam from the Anti-Narcotics Cell confirmed that Kumar was subsequently transported to Pune for comprehensive questioning and legal proceedings. Investigation findings revealed that Kumar had established a sophisticated online operation designed to exploit prospective students. He created fraudulent advertisements promising guaranteed admissions to various academic programs in exchange for monetary payments. The scheme involved unauthorized replication of legitimate institutional identities, including official logos, website designs, and promotional imagery. The fraudulent activity was exposed when the targeted educational institute discovered the misuse of their institutional credentials and branding. This discovery prompted them to file formal cheating charges against Kumar and two additional co-conspirators at Deccan Gymkhana Police Station in April 2024. Following the initial complaint, police teams conducted extensive search operations across multiple states including Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi in their efforts to locate the suspects. Kumar managed to evade capture for an extended period by continuously relocating across state boundaries. Further investigation uncovered Kumar's involvement in a separate cybercrime case filed with Pune Cyber Crime Police in 2021. Despite his anticipatory bail application being denied by the sessions court, he had failed to surrender to authorities, adding to his list of legal violations. The arrest highlights the growing concern over education-related fraud schemes that target vulnerable students and their families seeking legitimate admission opportunities.
