Five sent to one year in jail for theft; first conviction for petty organised crime under BNS

MUMBAI: Five men received one year in prison and ₹5,000 fine for stealing phones during Ganesh immersion, marking Mumbai's first conviction under new BNS law.

MUMBAI: A magistrate’s court in Girgaon sentenced five men to one year of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹5,000 each for stealing mobile phones during Ganesh immersion festivities in 2024. This marks the first conviction in Mumbai under section 112 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which specifically addresses petty organised crime — a new category introduced in the revised criminal code.

Five sent to one year in jail for theft; first conviction for petty organised crime under BNS

Section 112, added to the BNS in 2023, defines petty organised crime as theft, snatching, cheating, and similar offences committed by a group or gang in an organised manner.

The case was registered after a 39-year-old man, Baser Shaikh, reported his phone stolen amid the crowded immersion processions on September 20, 2024. As the day progressed, multiple people approached the VP Road police with similar complaints.

Deputy commissioner of police Mohit Kumar Garg (Zone 2) formed a special investigation team that combed through CCTV footage from Girgaon Chowpatty and surrounding areas. The investigation led the team to multiple locations across Maharashtra and Gujarat, where the accused were traced and brought to Mumbai for questioning.

Five individuals were eventually arrested: Sanjay Raman Kharwa, Sanjay Suresh Kharwa, Sumesh Rajendra Lohkare, Laltu Tunu De, and Akash Vijay Mehra. The gang had allegedly stolen 42 mobile phones and a two-wheeler, all of which were recovered by the police. Investigators revealed that the group exploited the chaos of the festive crowds to carry out the thefts systematically.

All five accused are residents of Kamathipura and Girgaon. Based on the FIR, they were booked under Section 112 and Section 303(2) of the BNS. The trial began shortly after the charge sheet was filed, with the new legal framework streamlining procedures, including restricting unnecessary witness cross-examinations.

“This is a landmark case, being the first conviction under section 112 of the BNS in Mumbai. It underscores the law’s intent to clamp down on organised petty crimes that disrupt public order, especially during large events,” said DCP Garg.