Navi Mumbai anti-extortion cell will now focus only on vehicle thefts

Navi Mumbai anti-extortion cell will now focus only on vehicle thefts

Following a dip in extortion cases, the Navi Mumbai police’s anti-extortion cell has now been converted into a vehicle-theft detection unit to tackle the increase in such cases.

Kalyan, India –February.21.2019. Four people including three minors are caught by Manpada police for stealing two wheelers. The stolen bikes were used for racing by these youngsters. A case has been filed with the Manpada police station Dombivli in Kalyan . India, on Thursday, February.21.2019 (Photo by Rishikesh Choudhary/HT)

On February 10, city police chief Sanjay Kumar passed an order, stating that extortion cases, including ones involving the underworld, will be tackled by the four units of the crime branch and the police stations concerned. The anti-extortion cell had a total of 14 members — four officers and 10 constables. The cell will be given 10 more members, which will concentrate solely on vehicle thefts.

Kumar said, “Vehicle thefts in the city have increased noticeably (843 cases in 2018, up from 586 in 2017). We detected [when arrests have been made] just 30% of cases in 2018.”

“On the other hand, extortion cases are under control (only 22 cases were registered last year, while 21 were filed in 2017). Last year, we detected 68% of these cases. There were only three cases in 2018 where the underworld was involved. Therefore, we want to focus more on vehicle thefts. As we do not have the required manpower, we are managing with limited resources,” he said. The cell would operate under the crime branch, just like how the anti-extortion cell used to do.

Tushar Doshi, deputy commissioner of police (crime), said, “The crime branch and the police stations can take care of extortion cases without any problem.”

“Stolen vehicles can be sold easily in remote areas, causing thieves to enter the city and steal vehicles. However, we must say that the lack of parking space inside building compounds and illegal parking on roads, public places has led to more vehicle thefts,” said Ajay Kadam, assistant commissioner of police (crime). According to police sources, more than 50 vehicles were stolen over the past month.

After the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) started selling plots to real estate developers in Navi Mumbai, underworld gangsters had also shifted their attention from Mumbai to the satellite city. Developers started receiving calls from gangs asking for ransoms up to ₹3 crore from phone numbers registered in countries like Pakistan, Dubai, Nigeria, Libia, Tanzania, among others. In a few cases, gangsters such as Chhota Rajan, Sikandar, Fahim Machmach, Ravi Pujari, Suresh Pujari themselves called developers and demanded ransoms.

Another senior crime branch official said, “Ravi Pujari and Suresh Pujari were quite active in Navi Mumbai. Ravi was arrested in Senegal on January 31. Suresh also does not have active aides in this area anymore. There has been no case against D-Company in Navi Mumbai in the past five years. Cases involving the underworld are decreasing in the city.”