The Juhu police have arrested two persons, including an alleged aide of history sheeter Sukha Akbar Pasha, for allegedly committing robberies in posh residential areas in the western suburbs. Another aide is currently wanted in the case.
A Chhota Rajan aide, Mr. Pasha was last arrested in 2017 for allegedly trying to smuggle 44 guns and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition into the city. The arsenal was intercepted at Chandwad in Nashik, after which it emerged that Mr. Pasha and others had robbed an arms and ammunition store in Uttar Pradesh and that he was planning to start his own gang using the guns.
According to the Juhu police, the accused have been identified as Faiyaz Alam Chaudhary (23) and Sanket Mhaske (21). They were arrested on the basis of a tip-off about their movements received on Friday evening.
“We received information that Mr. Chaudhary and his associate Kamaljeet Singh, both known aides of Mr. Pasha, were involved in violent robberies conducted in posh residential societies in the western suburbs, and that they would be coming to the Juhu Vishal society near the Kishore Kumar Park in Vile Parle. Accordingly, we laid a trap and waited for them,” senior police inspector Pandharinath Wavhal of the Juhu police station said.
A black Honda City car approached the building on Saturday morning, and some people matching the description provided by the informant alighted. The police team moved in and surrounded the suspects, Mr. Wavhal said.
“Of the five suspects who exited the car, three, including Kamaljeet Singh, managed to flee in the darkness, while Mr. Chaudhary and Mr. Mhaske were nabbed. We also seized the Honda City, in which we found three cell phones, a dagger, red chilli powder and duct tape, all of which are routinely used in robberies by habitual offenders,” he said. Inquiries are under way to find out the whereabouts of the rest.
“Mr. Chaudhary and Mr. Singh have cases registered against them in Jaipur, where they committed crimes along with Mr. Pasha, and in various police stations in the western suburbs. We are still obtaining information about their criminal antecedents,” Mr. Wavhal said.