Jailed journalist Mahesh Langa, already facing multiple charges, has been booked in a fresh case for allegedly extorting Rs 40 lakh from a real estate agent by threatening to malign his image and implicate him in a false case. This is the fifth FIR registered against him since his arrest in October 2023 for an alleged Goods and Services Tax (GST) scam. The latest case was registered based on a complaint by Janak Thakor, a real estate agent, who alleged that Langa threatened to write negative articles about him and trap him in a false case unless he paid the money. Langa has been in jail since his arrest in October and is facing charges in four previous cases registered by Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Rajkot police.
Seventeen persons, including four hailing from Taiwan, were arrested by Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch for allegedly operating a nationwide 'digital arrest' racket, a Gujarat police official said on Monday.
'He knew the world's eyes were on him, and he had to speak directly to the fears that immigrants in New York feel right now.'
The Supreme Court on Friday said if it finds that authorities in Gujarat acted in contempt of its order on demolition of properties, it will ask them to restore the structures.
Officials confirmed that all detained individuals were in India without valid documentation and had used fake papers to establish residence.
An alleged synthetic narcotics producer, Kubbawala Mustafa, wanted on an Interpol Red Notice, was deported to India from the UAE in an operation coordinated by the CBI and Mumbai police.
Ghaziabad native Bharat was traced by the Delhi police through his girlfriend's mobile location and social media account, an officer said.
'Gandhi had given the call 'Do or Die'. And with all the leaders arrested, you had to be your own leader.'
The CBI has significantly increased the rate of fugitive repatriation, bringing back 134 individuals in the last five years, doubling the number from the previous decade. This success is attributed to enhanced diplomatic efforts, technological advancements, and improved coordination with Interpol.
A woman and her paramour in Gujarat's Patan district allegedly killed a middle-aged man and set his body on fire, dressed in the woman's clothes, to fake her own death, inspired by the Bollywood thriller "Drishyam." The police have arrested Geeta Ahir and Bharat Ahir, who confessed to the crime after being apprehended at Palanpur railway station. Geeta's husband, who initially believed the body was hers, found the deceased was a man, leading to a murder investigation. The man was identified as Harjibhai Solanki. The couple planned to escape to Rajasthan after faking Geeta's death.
A probe into e-mails threatening blasts at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and different places in 12 states has unravelled a tale of unrequited love and vengeance allegedly unleashed by a woman executive of an MNC in Chennai to defame a man, leading to her arrest.
A 42-year-old tantrik arrested for allegedly conspiring to murder a businessman died in police custody in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, after confessing to killing 12 people by giving them drinks laced with sodium nitrite. Navalsinh Chavda was arrested on December 3 and died on Sunday after falling ill. Police are investigating his occult practices and possible involvement in human sacrifices.
'Anyone they don't like can be potentially arrested and thrown in jail for 30 days to induce regime change.'
The Gujarat police have arrested Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari from Mumbai in connection with an FIR registered against him for allegedly delivering a hate speech and are bringing him back to the state, an official said on Monday.
The Gujarat High Court dismissed a plea filed by journalist Mahesh Langa seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against him for allegedly stealing "highly sensitive and confidential documents" belonging to the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB). The court found that prima facie, Langa's involvement in the crime was evident from the evidence collected during the investigation. The court further stated that the investigation is at a nascent stage and it would be inappropriate to exercise its inherent powers in favor of the petitioner at this stage.
Deven Bharti, a veteran IPS officer with experience in high-profile cases including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has assumed charge as the new commissioner of Mumbai police. He emphasized the importance of effective policing, citizen engagement, and combating cybercrime as key priorities for his tenure. Bharti, known for his investigative skills, previously served in various roles within the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the argument that a three-judge bench, rather than a two-judge bench, should hear appeals of convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. The court found that the Gujarat High Court commuted the death penalty to life imprisonment, therefore not requiring a three-judge bench. The hearing of the appeals will continue on Wednesday, with the state government seeking restoration of the death sentences of 11 convicts.
Ahmedabad civic authorities launched a massive demolition drive on Tuesday, razing over 2,000 illegally constructed houses and properties in the Chandola Lake area. The operation, which involved around 50 teams equipped with earthmovers and 2,000 police personnel, was carried out days after illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were detained from these settlements. The Gujarat High Court declined to stay the action, observing that the dwellings were situated on the periphery of the water body and therefore subject to demolition under the Land Revenue Code. Authorities also demolished the illegal farmhouse of Lalu Pathan, alleged mastermind behind the encroachments, who is suspected to have helped illegal immigrants obtain rental accommodation and Aadhaar cards.
Lightning claims more lives in India annually than any other extreme weather event. Between April and July this year alone, 1,621 people died due to lightning strikes.
'The ruling elite are supporting those attacking the people of Gaza.' 'As a nation we should not cooperate with the oppressor regime that is allowing mass starvation as a weapon of war.'
The tragic incident saw 241 of the 242 lives on board the London-bound Boeing 787-8 perish, along with 29 people on the ground as the aircraft plunged into a medical college campus shortly after takeoff.
The police arrested six persons including a hacker named Parit Dhamelia from Surat and owner of a YouTube channel Prajwal Taily, a resident of Latur, Maharashtra.
'The Election Commission's involvement in the avoidable SIR controversy has carried a message down to the last voter -- who just does not like it,' observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
An FIR was registered against 20-25 people and nine teams of security personnel were formed to conduct a probe into the incident, police commissioner GS Malik said.
'The crash site must be secured because something small -- like a pipe or hydraulic line -- could hold a critical clue.'
The Kerala police were the most sensitised to the rights of those arrested while that of Jharkhand and Gujarat the least.
Sources said that Langa and an unidentified employee of the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) have been booked on the charges of theft and under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a Gujarat resident from Akola in Maharashtra in connection with the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 25. Salmanbhai Iqbalbhai Vohra, a resident of Petlad in Gujarat's Anand district, was arrested from Balapur in Akola. The 66-year-old NCP leader was gunned down on October 12 near his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra East's Nirmal Nagar area. Vohra is alleged to have provided financial support to some of the accused in the case, including the brother of arrested accused Gurmail Singh.
A Haryana man who paid Rs 35 lakh to agents to facilitate his journey to the USA via the 'dunki' route was deported back to India after being apprehended in the US. The man, Pankaj Rawat, has filed a complaint with the Gujarat police accusing the agents of human trafficking and cheating.
On December 16, an industrial worker abducted the girl when she was playing near her hut. He took her to nearby bushes, where raped her and fled the spot, leaving her injured, according to the police.
The top court said 86-year-old Asaram was suffering from various age-related health conditions besides a heart ailment.
According to a senior state Crime Investigation Department official, those passengers included at least 60 from Gujarat, who have already reached their respective native places in the state.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand to cooperate with the Gujarat Police in connection with a case filed against them over alleged misappropriation of funds.
The crime branch named 29 accused in the 4,590-page charge sheet, including 26 already arrested and three wanted persons, including Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
The Sri Lanka police on Wednesday said a senior deputy inspector general will head a team appointed to investigate four of its citizens arrested in Gujarat when on an alleged mission to carry out terror activities in India at the behest of the banned Islamic State.
Authorities in Ahmedabad demolished the houses of six out of 14 accused arrested for attacking commuters and rioting in the city. The demolition followed a mob attack on Thursday night in which three people were injured and several vehicles were damaged. The police are taking action against "anti-social elements" in the city, including preparing a list of repeat offenders and taking action against illegal constructions and encroachments.
Police heads of various units across Gujarat have been instructed to be on "alert mode" and keep a close watch on anti-social elements as well as sensitive areas to avoid any untoward incident.
A tailor's tag on a blood-stained shirt found near the crime scene helped the Odisha Police to crack a mysterious murder case and arrest three people, an officer said.
One woman has died, and several others have sustained injuries after an over-speeding four-wheeler rammed into two-wheelers on March 14 in Gujarat's Vadodara. Speaking to ANI, Vikas Kewalani, a victim of the car accident, demanded strict action against the accused, stating that they would realise their mistakes only when strict punishment is enforced.
Patel was handed over to the Gujarat police late Thursday afternoon after its request for his custody was granted by the court of the chief judicial magistrate in Srinagar, an official said.
