News / Author / Debasish Panigrahi

Debasish Panigrahi

Debasish has been an investigative reporter for nearly two decades, covering crime, legal and social issues. He is also interested in wildlife, travel and environmental issues.

Articles by Debasish Panigrahi

Arthur Road cell for Nirav, Mallya to have French windows, water

Each cell is meant to be shared by three inmates, but sources said Cell no. 2 will only house Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallaya — whose extradition case is also in progress in a London court.

The barrack is ground-plus-one structure, with two cells each on the ground and first floors.((Kunal Patil/ HT Photo))

india news

Updated on Jun 15, 2019 08:24 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByDebasish Panigrahi

444 cops ‘born’ on June 1 set to retire on May 31

At a function to which the families of the retiring policemen are invited, the commissioner of Mumbai Police will present wrist watches to each of the 444 retiring policemen and their spouses

Of the 850 personnel who will reach the retirement age of 58 years in 2019, more than 50%, ranging from constables to assistant commissioners of police (ACPs), will retire on the last day of this month(File Photo)

cities

Updated on May 19, 2019 08:38 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

New timings lead to losses, say country liquor bar owners

Recently, the government amended the Maharashtra Country Liquor Rules, 1973, and blurred the distinction between urban and rural areas before changing the opening and closing time of country liquor bars in the state.

A change in the opening and closing time of country liquor bars across Maharashtra, which was introduced three months ago, has left retailers in Mumbai fuming.(Bloomberg)

cities

Published on Apr 25, 2019 03:19 AM IST

ByDebasish Panigrahi

2 Mumbai EOW cops suspended for allowing Yusuf Lakdawala to have biryani during search

DCP, EOW, Parag Manere on Wednesday said the two APIs, Vilas Rathod and Sandeep Sawant, were suspended on Monday after an inquiry nailed them for dereliction of duty and gross negligence.

Lakdawala was arrested from the Ahmedabad airport on April 12, while he was allegedly trying to escape to London.(HT File)

cities

Updated on Apr 18, 2019 12:56 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Mumbai builder held in Ahmedabad in ₹50-crore land grab case

Lakdawala was brought to Mumbai on a transit remand and will be produced in a city court on Saturday.

Yusuf Mohammed Lakdawala, 74, was arrested from Ahmedabad airport.(HT File)

cities

Updated on Apr 13, 2019 01:03 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi and Vijay Kumar Yadav, Mumbai

Arthur Road jail now has a special cell to house VIP accused

He said the new cells are equipped with facilities on par with those offered in prisons in European Union (EU) and developed countries.

Each of the new cells at Arthur Road jail are self-sufficient units.(HT File)

cities

Updated on Apr 12, 2019 08:55 AM IST

Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

CSMT bridge collapse: Mumbai Police to summon four BMC officials

Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Barve told HT that they have sought all information pertaining to the bridge from BMC.

A senior Mumbai police officer said the BMC has been asked to share a copy of the primary report of the bridge with the Azad Maidan police station.(Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Mar 16, 2019 01:30 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi

8 from Mumbai apply for dance bar licences after rule change

The SC, in its verdict, allowed payment of tips to performers (restricting showering of currency notes), serving of liquor and fixed the timing from 6pm to 11.30pm

Bar girls entertain customers in a dance bar at Andheri West.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Mar 06, 2019 08:20 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Senegal to Mumbai: Police chase gangster Ravi Pujari, with documents in tow

Mumbai crime branch officials will send a letter of request, with a dossier on the antecedents of gangster Ravi Pujari, who is wanted in 51 cases of murder, extortion, shoot-outs, intimidation in the city over the past three decades.

Gangster Ravi Pujari had been arrested only once in Mumbai in connection with an attempted murder and rioting case in 1994.(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Feb 20, 2019 09:58 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

Trap, chase, surrender: Mumbai cops crash wedding at Mangalore, gangster Ravi Pujari’s aide as return gift

Following his arrest, gangster Ravi Pujari’s aide Akash Shetty was flown into Mumbai and a special court on Wednesday remanded him in police custody till January 28.

Akash Shetty, an aide of gangster Ravi Pujari, was arrested by the anti-extortion cell of Mumbai police.(Getty Images/ Reprsentative Photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 24, 2019 11:00 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

Operation D-gang: Anees is Mumbai cops’ target

City police step up efforts to get custody of Anees Ibrahim’s aides, so they can corner his brother Dawood.

Anees Ibrahim, brother of Dawood Ibrahim(PTI)

cities

Updated on Jan 16, 2019 07:16 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

Bricks and bats vs AK-47: Mumbai cop recalls ‘miracle’ of capturing 26/11 attacker Kasab

Police inspector Sanjay Govilkar recalls constable Ombale’s sacrifice and how they nabbed the terrorist near Girgaum Chowpatty

26/11 - Mumbai Under Terror Attack - Firing - ATS on alert near the Taj Hotel during the gun battle between commandos and terrorists in Mumbai.(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 21, 2018 08:19 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Heavens won’t forgive you for spilling blood: Ex-Mumbai cop recalls conversation with Kasab

Asif Mulani, who was near Cama Hospital, says he regrets not being able to save mentor Ashok Kamte.

Asif Mulani is with the Maharashtra State Police Housing Corporation now.(Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 20, 2018 01:10 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi

‘You won, I lost’: 26/11 attacker Kasab’s confession, day before hanging

Senior police inspector Ramesh Mahale recounts how Kasab never gave straight answers to their questions

Kasab was in the crime branch’s custody for about 81 days before being shifted to a specially-made, bulletproof, high security cell in Arthur Road Jail after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 12, 2018 04:56 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

‘Saw Kasab spraying bullets’: R Tamil Selvan, the man who saved 36 lives at CST during 26/11 Mumbai attacks

R Tamil Selvan and his team moved approximately 40 injured people from the CST station which was under attack from terrorists, to the St George’s Hospital on November 26, 2008.

R Tamil Selvan, who had a counter at Mumbai’s CST station, helped save 36 persons injured in the terror attack on November 26, 2008.(Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 10, 2018 07:17 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

‘Sheer bad luck’: Police on murder of HDFC official who was stabbed 14 times

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Sanghavi’s death, but a top police official dismissed the conspiracy theories and told that Sanghavi was a victim of “sheer bad luck

Police barricade the parking area at Kamala Mills compound, Lower Parel, where Sarfaraz Shaikh allegedly murdered HDFC bank executive Siddharth Sanghvi.(Satish Bate/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Sep 12, 2018 02:10 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

In Mumbai HDFC executive’s murder, missing 3 hours crucial to case

The biggest riddle is what happened between Siddharth Sanghvi leaving his office around 8pm to go down to the parking lot, and 11.20pm, when his car was seen on CCTV leaving the parking lot.

A car with blood stains was found at Sector -11 Kopar Khairane in Navi Mumbai, India, on Friday, September 7, 2018.(Hindustan Times)

cities

Updated on Sep 11, 2018 08:13 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

‘Mumbai developer flew with Dawood aide Moti to SA for FIFA World Cup’

Moti alias Jabir Motiwalla alias Siddiqui, a Pakiatani national, was arrested by the London police from Hilton hotel last Friday in connection with a suspected drug deal. He is in the UK on a 10-year visa.

Sources have claimed that several Mumbai-based businessmen with purported links to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim (in photo) are close to Jabir Moti, a Pakistani national arrested by London Police on August 17, 2018.(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Aug 21, 2018 08:56 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Licences of 28 orchestra bars cancelled; more to face music

The Mumbai police are considering draft rules against rogue bars, to cancel their licences permanently.

At present, there are 294 orchestra bars that have performance licences across the city.(Representative Photo)

cities

Updated on Aug 16, 2018 02:57 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

Pakistan’s loss is India’s gain? Chhota Shakeel aide may be extradited soon

In a major boost to the Mumbai crime branch’s efforts to seek custody of fugitive sharpshooter and key Chhota Shakeel aide Muzakkir Muddassar Sayed alias Munna Jhingada, 48, a court in Thailand has reportedly rejected the evidence submitted by Pakistan, claiming he was their citizen.

On Chhota Shakeel’s instruction, Munna Jhingada led a team that attacked Chhota Rajan (pictured).(Reuters/File Photo)

india news

Published on Aug 09, 2018 04:42 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

‘Health conscious’ men sold cocaine in Mumbai but preferred taking organic ganja

Officials said the arrested drug peddlers were obsessively health consciousness that made them stay away from synthetic drugs like cocaine MD and heroine, which they fed their clients. Instead, they used organic drugs like marijuana, which they consider safer than synthetic drugs.

Officials said the arrested men got marijuana from local peddlers in exchange for the synthetic drug they supplied to their clients. (Image used for representational purposes)(Parwaz Khan / HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Aug 01, 2018 10:54 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Maratha agitation: Residents pay price, as protesters damage 160 private vehicles in Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai saw the maximum damage to property at the hands of the rioting mob.

Protesters torched private cars in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday.(Bachchan Kumar)

cities

Updated on Jul 27, 2018 11:46 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

On morcha day, 45,000 cops to be out in full force in Mumbai

Police are also keeping a close watch on social media to quell rumour-mongering during the bandh period

Men and officers in all 93 police stations as well as reserve forces have been asked to remain present in the streets in full strength to meet any exigency at the earliest.(HT FILE)

cities

Published on Jul 25, 2018 01:13 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Road rage: Fix pothole, traffic issues in Navi Mumbai, or there will be trouble, say cops

MNS agitation is indication of simmering public anger because of chaotic traffic condition on arterial roads passing through the satellite township, the police warn government in letter.

Traffic jam on Sion-Panvel highway near CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.(Bachchan Kumar/ HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jul 18, 2018 11:51 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Bad roads claim 2 more lives in Mumbai, residents take to protests

Two bikers die after they hit potholes in Kalyan and Navi Mumbai; mishaps again highlight civic bodies’ indifference towards repairing roads.

The spot on Kongaon Bhiwandi Road in Kalyan.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jul 14, 2018 11:25 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySajana Nambiar, Pranab Jyoti Bhuyan and Debasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Key accused in Dhule lynching arrested from hideout in forest

The police said Dasrath Pimpalse was among the 10 who had led the violent attack on the five men from the Gosavi community.

A team of officers traced Dasrath Pimpalse to a hideout in the forests near the Warsa village, around 60km from Rainpada, where the incident had taken place, police said.(ANI/Twitter)

india news

Updated on Jul 08, 2018 10:10 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByDebasish Panigrahi

Now, a ‘startup’ loan scheme for Maharashtra policemen’s children

No educational qualification is required for the beneficiaries as it is meant to help those who are academically weak

Only the wards of constables, police naiks, head constables and Assistant Police Sub-Inspectors (ASI) are eligible for this scheme.(HT Photo)

cities

Published on Jun 23, 2018 12:47 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Don’t have enough manpower, will not guard new stations on Mumbai’s harbour line: GRP

It is estimated that they guard over 75-85 lakh commuters across 136 stations

Seven new stations are set to be added to the Harbour Line(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jun 21, 2018 12:14 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

New high for alcohol sales in Maharashtra this April compared to April 2017

Thanks to relaxation of Supreme Court’s alcohol ban, sale of spirits saw a 35.39 per cent increase, sale of country liquor rose by 27.6 per cent

While sale of beer saw a relatively moderate 14.26 per cent jump, wine saw the highest increase, with an increase of 42.96 per cent when compared to figures of April 2017.(SHUTTERSTOCK)

cities

Published on Jun 16, 2018 12:37 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

Mumbai goes dry from tomorrow to Monday, courtesy legislative council polls

Sale and distribution of liquor banned for three consecutive days from Saturday on account of Maharashtra Legislative Council elections on June 25.

Mumbai and the Konkan coast will go dry for three consecutive days from Saturday.(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Jun 22, 2018 02:30 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByDebasish Panigrahi, Mumbai

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Debasish Panigrahi

Debasish has been an investigative reporter for nearly two decades, covering crime, legal and social issues. He is also interested in wildlife, travel and environmental issues.

Each cell is meant to be shared by three inmates, but sources said Cell no. 2 will only house Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallaya — whose extradition case is also in progress in a London court.

At a function to which the families of the retiring policemen are invited, the commissioner of Mumbai Police will present wrist watches to each of the 444 retiring policemen and their spouses

Recently, the government amended the Maharashtra Country Liquor Rules, 1973, and blurred the distinction between urban and rural areas before changing the opening and closing time of country liquor bars in the state.

DCP, EOW, Parag Manere on Wednesday said the two APIs, Vilas Rathod and Sandeep Sawant, were suspended on Monday after an inquiry nailed them for dereliction of duty and gross negligence.

Lakdawala was brought to Mumbai on a transit remand and will be produced in a city court on Saturday.

He said the new cells are equipped with facilities on par with those offered in prisons in European Union (EU) and developed countries.

Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Barve told HT that they have sought all information pertaining to the bridge from BMC.

The SC, in its verdict, allowed payment of tips to performers (restricting showering of currency notes), serving of liquor and fixed the timing from 6pm to 11.30pm

Mumbai crime branch officials will send a letter of request, with a dossier on the antecedents of gangster Ravi Pujari, who is wanted in 51 cases of murder, extortion, shoot-outs, intimidation in the city over the past three decades.

Following his arrest, gangster Ravi Pujari’s aide Akash Shetty was flown into Mumbai and a special court on Wednesday remanded him in police custody till January 28.

City police step up efforts to get custody of Anees Ibrahim’s aides, so they can corner his brother Dawood.

Police inspector Sanjay Govilkar recalls constable Ombale’s sacrifice and how they nabbed the terrorist near Girgaum Chowpatty

Asif Mulani, who was near Cama Hospital, says he regrets not being able to save mentor Ashok Kamte.

Senior police inspector Ramesh Mahale recounts how Kasab never gave straight answers to their questions

R Tamil Selvan and his team moved approximately 40 injured people from the CST station which was under attack from terrorists, to the St George’s Hospital on November 26, 2008.

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Sanghavi’s death, but a top police official dismissed the conspiracy theories and told that Sanghavi was a victim of “sheer bad luck

The biggest riddle is what happened between Siddharth Sanghvi leaving his office around 8pm to go down to the parking lot, and 11.20pm, when his car was seen on CCTV leaving the parking lot.

Moti alias Jabir Motiwalla alias Siddiqui, a Pakiatani national, was arrested by the London police from Hilton hotel last Friday in connection with a suspected drug deal. He is in the UK on a 10-year visa.

The Mumbai police are considering draft rules against rogue bars, to cancel their licences permanently.

In a major boost to the Mumbai crime branch’s efforts to seek custody of fugitive sharpshooter and key Chhota Shakeel aide Muzakkir Muddassar Sayed alias Munna Jhingada, 48, a court in Thailand has reportedly rejected the evidence submitted by Pakistan, claiming he was their citizen.

Officials said the arrested drug peddlers were obsessively health consciousness that made them stay away from synthetic drugs like cocaine MD and heroine, which they fed their clients. Instead, they used organic drugs like marijuana, which they consider safer than synthetic drugs.

Navi Mumbai saw the maximum damage to property at the hands of the rioting mob.

Police are also keeping a close watch on social media to quell rumour-mongering during the bandh period

MNS agitation is indication of simmering public anger because of chaotic traffic condition on arterial roads passing through the satellite township, the police warn government in letter.

Two bikers die after they hit potholes in Kalyan and Navi Mumbai; mishaps again highlight civic bodies’ indifference towards repairing roads.

The police said Dasrath Pimpalse was among the 10 who had led the violent attack on the five men from the Gosavi community.

No educational qualification is required for the beneficiaries as it is meant to help those who are academically weak

It is estimated that they guard over 75-85 lakh commuters across 136 stations

Thanks to relaxation of Supreme Court’s alcohol ban, sale of spirits saw a 35.39 per cent increase, sale of country liquor rose by 27.6 per cent

Sale and distribution of liquor banned for three consecutive days from Saturday on account of Maharashtra Legislative Council elections on June 25.

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