The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has invoked the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against three residents of Delhi who were arrested for allegedly committing robberies on expressways in several States.
The accused have been identified as Gurucharansingh Karnalsingh Chahal (40), Ahmadhasan Islamuddin Shaikh alias Ravi (39) and Gulfam Jaheer Hasan (38). Tushar Doshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, said, “Of the 20-odd cases against the accused, 11 have been registered in police stations in Navi Mumbai. The accused have been arrested before at various police stations, but once they got out on bail, they began committing robberies again. So this time, we have invoked the provisions of MCOCA against them.”
The police nabbed the accused while hunting for four unidentified men who robbed Girish Nikam (41), an anchor with Zee 24 Taas, at gunpoint after giving him a lift from Pune to Navi Mumbai in July.
Mr. Nikam had gone to Pune for treatment and was waiting for a Navi Mumbai-bound bus at Swargate transport stand, when a car approached him. The driver told him he was going to Navi Mumbai and needed one more passenger as he already had three passengers with him. Since Mr. Nikam was getting late, he chose to take the ride.
Robbed at gunpoint
At Talegaon, the accused filled petrol and soon after, one of the accused threatened Mr. Nikam at gunpoint. After he handed over his gold chain worth ₹20,000, mobile phone and wallet, the accused blindfolded him. The accused then asked for his ATM pin and withdrew ₹41,000. After reaching Roadpali at Kalamboli, the accused returned the phone and ATM card, and abandoned Mr. Nikam.
When he tried contacting his friends, he realised that the accused had removed both the SIM cards from his phone. He later sought help from an auto driver, reached Kalamboli police station and filed a complaint.
The police then registered a case against the unidentified men under Sections 392 (robbery) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Arms Act. The police later procured the CCTV footage from the petrol pump and the ATM from where the money was withdrawn. They then tracked the location of the SIM cards used by the accused.
Kondiram Pophere, senior police inspector, Crime Branch, Unit II, said, “We traced Chahal to Mumbai airport and nabbed him. During interrogation, he revealed the names of his partners and two of them were arrested in Delhi. We are on the lookout for Sumit Ramswaroop Narullaha, the fourth accused in the case.” The police have recovered a car stolen from Vashi, which was used in the crime, and valuables worth ₹10 lakh from the accused.
Mr. Doshi said, “The accused belonged to the same area and knew each other. They often took flights to Punjab and Mumbai and stole a car shortly after they landed. They would then commit robberies and return to Delhi. They sold the stolen ornaments to a local jeweller and spent the stolen money on alcohol and leading a lavish lifestyle.”