Latest news with #Maknikar
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
52% Surge In Murder Numbers Puts Nagpur Cops On High Alert
1 2 3 Nagpur: Grappling with a staggering 52% rise in murders over two years, police commissioner Ravinder Singal has launched a relentless 'zero tolerance' policy targeting violent criminals. With 44 murders recorded in the first five months of 2025, compared to 34 in 2024 and 29 in 2023, the city's 33 police stations and crime branch are on high alert, intensifying efforts to curb the alarming spike in violent crime. Commissioner Singal's strategy focuses on goons with a history of bodily offences, including murders, stabbings, assaults, and grievous harm. The police have rolled out regular night operations, house searches, and preventive measures to keep notorious criminals in check. "We are hitting them hard," said deputy commissioner of police (crime) Rahul Maknikar. He revealed that the crime branch is meticulously tracking jail-released offenders, externed goons, and those involved in arms-related activities. Over 500-700 criminals with violent records were checked in just one week, forcing many to abandon their homes to evade scrutiny. The police have also invoked stringent laws to dismantle criminal networks. Nineteen goons have been detained under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act, facing up to a year in prison. Four gangs were charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), with plans to apply it against perpetrators of a high-profile shooting at Godhani market earlier this year, which claimed another criminal's life. "We're targeting their income sources," Maknikar added, noting that many criminals have shifted to drug peddling. Undercover traps and swift actions are disrupting these illicit operations. Singal's no-nonsense approach extends to his own force too. He suspended six officers and an equal number of constables for failing to prevent a murder, signalling accountability at all levels. The commissioner himself leads several night operations, setting a hands-on example for his team. "Criminals are feeling the heat," Maknikar said, emphasizing that the crackdown is relentless and around 10 sharp weapons were seized in just two weeks. The murder surge has raised concerns among Nagpur residents, with the city's rising violence linked to organised crime and personal disputes. Singal's aggressive measures aim to restore public confidence, but the challenge remains steep. As police intensify their operations, the city watches closely to see if this 'zero tolerance' policy can stem the tide of violence and make Nagpur safer.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Crime branch seeks key info from GST Dept in Rs800cr Biz Scam
1 2 Nagpur: Intensifying its investigation into a massive Rs800 crore business scam, the Nagpur crime branch has sought critical information from the GST department regarding the operations of a fake business cartel. The syndicate, responsible for creating 86 fictitious companies, executed bogus transactions — primarily in the iron and steel sector — to fraudulently claim tax setoffs without depositing any GST, police sources said. The investigation team has requested the GST Dept to provide detailed business records, accounts, and transaction histories of the accused, who face charges of cheating and related offences. The cartel's elaborate modus operandi involved fake invoices, sham transportation receipts, and fictitious companies fronted by office boys and low-level employees posing as proprietors. Deputy commissioner of police (crime), Rahul Maknikar, expressed shock at the syndicate's ability to secure substantial GST set offs without actual tax payments. "Our probe uncovered that these fake entities issued fraudulent invoices and transferred funds to other sham companies, only to withdraw them later. The set offs were likely claimed against these bogus documents," Maknikar said. The DCP emphasised that the investigation is now focusing on whether these GST benefits were approved due to lax verification or complicity from lower-rung taxation officials. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo "We cannot rule out an external nexus of some officials with the syndicate," he added, stating that a reply from the GST department would help unwrap a bigger scam inflicting losses to the govt exchequer. A crime branch team, led by senior inspector Kamlakar Gaddime, recently conducted a search at the office of Anshul Mishra, a key accused who remains on the run. "We seized documents and records that will aid in piecing together the scam's intricacies," Gaddime said. The scale of the fraud has raised alarm in Nagpur's business community. The syndicate's ability to manipulate GST claims sparked concerns about vulnerabilities in the tax system, prompting calls for stricter oversight. As the crime branch digs deeper, the focus remains on dismantling the cartel and identifying any collaborators within the taxation framework. With Mishra still at large and critical documents under review, the investigation promises to uncover further details about one of Nagpur's most audacious financial frauds.
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Time of India
Hiranwar Gang Had Plotted Attack During Rally On Ambedkar Jayanti
Nagpur: The city police's crime branch revealed on Sunday that the Hiranwar gang had planned to open fire on an Ambedkar Jayanti procession on April 14 to eliminate their arch-rival Sheikhu Khan's close aide, Pravesh Gupta. However, their plan failed. The kingpin, Bunty Hiranwar , along with his sharpshooters, waited at Ram Nagar Chowk to attack the rally coming from Pandhrabodhi. Netted 11 days after the murder of café owner Avinash Bhusari on April 15, Bunty Hiranwar made the 'mistake' of inserting a new SIM in an old handset which provided the police with crucial information about their movements on the train from Chanda Fort to Gondia via Navegaon. He was caught with his cousin Babu, alias Ankit Hiranwar. "Meshram was using his cellphone and trying to contact others through messengers and Instagram, which revealed his location at Dongargarh in Chhattisgarh. Cyber cell experts managed to identify his cell number operating from a dharmashala near a famous shrine. He was caught along with Walke," said DCP Maknikar at a press conference at the crime branch on Sunday. "The entire operation was monitored by CP Ravinder Singal," he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo DCP Maknikar, whose team, led by senior inspector Mahesh Sagade, nabbed the five Hiranwar gang members, including Bunty, with the help of Gondia police, stated that the gangsters wanted to target the Ambedkar Jayanti rally to kill Gupta, but the target remained elusive. "If the Hiranwars had spotted Gupta in the rally, they would have shot at him indiscriminately, leading to collateral damage with deep repercussions. After missing Gupta, the Hiranwars decided to target café owner Bhusari (deceased). An employee of Bhusari, identified as Abu, leaked information to the Hiranwars that the victim once revealed to him that Bunty's cousin Pawan (killed in a gang war in January) would soon be eliminated. This made him one of the targets, apart from Gupta and Dheeraj Bamburde," said Maknikar, adding that Bunty claimed before the police, 'agar main nahi marta toh mujhe woh log marr dalte' (If I did not kill Bhusari, then the Sheikhu gang would have bumped me off). While Bunty and Babu were nabbed from Navegaon after a chase, Walke and Meshram were nabbed from Dongargarh, and Yadav was netted at Gondia by the teams of assistant inspectors Gajanan Chambhare, Nitin Chulpar, sub-inspector Manoj Raut, and others, with the help of cyber expert PSI Vivek Zingare. Maknikar further stated that sharpshooter Shakti Yadav (Shibbu's brother), along with Monu Kalsarpe, Sahil Shendre, Rahul Bawane, and Sheikh Sahid, are now being pursued. "The killers abandoned their bikes near Bhandara railway station before boarding the train to reach Dongargarh, then returned to a relative's place of Rohit Murke. The gang later travelled to Kolkata via Durg and went to Vishakhapatnam. Some of their cellphone analysis showed that key members of the gang, Meshram and Walke, were returning to Nagpur via train. They were in Kerala Express, but it got delayed due to Gorakhpur Express. The Kerala Express stopped between Ajni and Khapri, during which Meshram and Walke jumped off and fled. They went to Futala and Indora to consume narcotics before fleeing to Dongargarh again via Bhandara. We caught them from Dongargarh," said Maknikar, adding that Bunty's uncle Dheeraj would be booked for illegal money lending, while there would be a fresh case against Babu, alias Ankit, for preparing fake Aadhaar cards for the gang. Gang member stole grandma's money to buy weapons DCP Crime Rahul Maknikar stated that Shibbu Yadav, the younger brother of sharpshooter Shakti, stole Rs 1.27 lakh from his grandmother, Kiran Hiranwar, who passed away two days ago. He handed over the cash to Bunty Hiranwar, who in turn gave it to Shaikh Shahid. "Shahid bought three mausers for their mission against the Sheikhu gang from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh at Rs 45,000 around each three months ago," said Maknikar, adding that accused Rahul Bawane brought 20 bullets for the gang. "They test-fired a few bullets too," said Maknikar. Was Simran's husband's death an accident? Simran Lokhande, arrested for helping her friend Bunty Hiranwar by transferring Rs 10,000, is now under scrutiny for the mysterious death of her husband. She got married when Bunty was in jail for four years. Her husband died after falling from the fourth floor of a building in Wadi. "Was it an accident or homicide is what we may look into in the near future," said DCP crime Maknikar, adding that he would invoke MCOCA against the gang. Simran's brother, Rishabh Wankhede, was also arrested for helping Bunty's uncle and Babu's father, Dheeraj, and his family flee Nagpur after Avinash Bhusari's murder.
