Fake clean-up marshals rob man of Rs11K in Mumbai, arrested

Mumbai city news: They caught hold of a man spitting on a garbage pile and asked him to pay Rs12,000 fine

Two people posing as clean-up marshals were arrested on Saturday, minutes after they allegedly robbed a man of Rs11,000 in Ghatkopar.

Two people arrested for cheating man. (Fie photo)

Hired by the BMC, clean-up marshals are authorised to fine citizens caught spiting, urinating and littering in public places.

Around 4.30pm on Saturday, Mohamed Shaikh, 22, an air-conditioner mechanic of a Thane-based firm, came to Ghatkopar (East) for work.

“While walking near Hingwala market, he spit on a garbage pile. The two accused immediately stopped him, saying they are from the civic body,” said a police officer from Pant Nagar police station.

Sidharth Pasi, 26, and Krishna Chauhan, 22, told Shaikh that he would have to pay Rs12,000 fine for spitting. “Pasi grabbed his hand while Chauhan forcefully removed his wallet. They took away Rs11,000 from his waller and threatened to beat him if he raised an alarm,” said the officer.

After taking the money, the two escaped. Shaikh saw two police constables on a motorcycle and narrated the incident. “The policemen hailed an auto rickshaw and started looking for the accused with Shaikh,” said the officer.

During questioning, the two said that they had robbed a woman’s purse on March 16. A case has been lodged at Pant Nagar police station.

“After the accused said they had robbed a woman, we checked the records and found that a case had been lodged,” said the officer.

The accused are residents of Ramabai Nagar in Ghatkopar. The police are investigating if more people have been robbed by them. The accused have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 392 (robbery) and 34 (common intention).

Read: More clean-up marshals to be deployed near Mumbai nullahs