Deputy secretary arrested in Mumbai, cops to visit Delhi to probe scam

Mumbai city news: A senior IPS officer said Mali was the mastermind of the scam. On learning that Chavan wanted to be posted in Navi Mumbai, he had approached him a couple of weeks back

The Mumbai crime branch, probing the government posting scam, plans to go to Delhi as the accused had dropped names of politicians while trying to influence the Solapur superintendent of police (SP) Namdev Chavan about his transfer in Navi Mumbai.

Mali and Ombale knew each other and they had visited Delhi earlier, where they had met Yadav and became friends. (HT)

On Wednesday, the crime branch arrested Vidyasagar Hirmukhe, 47, a deputy secretary and general manager in Mahanand Dairy. Others arrested are Vishal Ombale, 40, Kishor Mali, 38 and Ravindra Singh Yadav from a five star hotel in Vile Parle (east). All were produced in a court and remanded in police custody till June 7. Yadav is from Delhi and said during inquiry that he was into real estate business.

A senior IPS officer said Mali was the mastermind of the scam. On learning that Chavan wanted to be posted in Navi Mumbai, he had approached him a couple of weeks back. “Mali called Chavan two days before the incident and told him that the ‘boss’ has come from Delhi and was staying in a hotel near the Mumbai domestic airport. He could arrange for a meeting,” said the IPS official. The meeting was fixed for Wednesday evening.

During their telephonic conversation, Chavan suspected something amiss, so he alerted a senior officer of the crime branch. To verify the information, a police team laid a trap at the hotel, added the officer. Yadav has used names of several ministers of Delhi to show his influence.

“After confirming that it was a scam, we trapped Mali, Hirmukhe, Ombale and Yadav. During our search, we recovered Rs6.70 lakh from them. We suspect that they might have taken money from government officials,” he said.

Mali and Ombale knew each other and they had visited Delhi earlier, where they had met Yadav and became friends. Mali and HIrmukhe are from Solapur and knew each other.