Police bust illegal parking racket in Kala Ghoda

The action followed a video circulating on social media showing motorists being asked to pay for parking despite signboards stating that parking was free.

Mumbai: An illegal parking racket has been busted in Kala Ghoda area of south Mumbai, where motorists were allegedly being charged for parking at the Kala Ghoda Municipal parking space that the BMC had recently made free.

Police bust illegal parking racket in Kala Ghoda

The action followed a video circulating on social media showing motorists being asked to pay for parking despite signboards stating that parking was free.

Seeing the video, the MRA Marg police laid out a trap to bust the racket.

Police constable Shivaji Chavan and assistant police inspector Dhanashree Keklekar asked a hawker to park his two-wheeler at the facility. The hawker, identified as Manoj Mandal, parked the vehicle when a man allegedly approached him and demanded ₹100.

“When Mandal told him the parking was free, the man claimed the fee was for vehicle safety,” said a police officer from the MRA Marg police station.

The police team then intervened and detained the suspect, identified as Arunendra Tripathi, 36, a resident of Cuffe Parade.

Tripathi has been booked under Section 318(cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Police said similar cases have been registered by Azad Maidan police against individuals allegedly charging motorists for parking near Crawford Market, close to Peekay Wines.

According to police, the BMC recently made several parking spaces in south Mumbai free following complaints of overcharging and installed boards informing motorists of the change.