Drug overdose, April 07: Drama Queen Indrani lands in hospital
Former media baron and prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, Indrani Mukerjea, was admitted to Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy (JJ) Hospital thrice this year after she complained of headache, double vision and restlessness due to an overdose of anti-depressants.
Indrani is currently lodged in the Byculla women’s jail on the charge of murdering her daughter Sheena Bora. Indrani was admitted to the critical care unit (CCU) at JJ Hospital.Dr Sanjay Surase, medical superintendent, JJ Hospital said, “ Indrani had complained of headache, double vision and restlessness. She is a known case of hypertension and cervical spondylitis.’’
On September 25, Indrani was admitted to the JJ hospital. On June 2, Indrani was hospitalised for chest pain and overdosing on anti-depressants not prescribed to her. On April 7, Indrani was admitted to hospital in a “semi-conscious” condition, where she subsequently underwent a series of medical tests.
According to Rajvardhan Sinha, the Inspector General of Police, Prisons said, “Mukerjea had an overdose of anti-depressants of another medicine which is different from the one prescribed and given to her under the supervision of the JJ hospital doctors and the jail doctor. Indrani had consumed the anti-depressants in 2015 as well. Every day, Mukerjea is given half a tablet of the regular medicine which is given to her to keep her anxiety in check since she has a clot in her brain and may be prone to a brain hemorrhage in future.’’
An inquiry was conducted by the jail officials and statements of the jail inmates and prison staff was recorded. Indrani, her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai were arrested for the crime in August 2015. Sheena, 24, was allegedly killed and her body disposed of in a forest area at Raigad district in April 2012.
PNB scam: May 14
CBI submits charge sheet before court
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a charge sheet before the special CBI court on May 14 in the Punjab National Bank fraud worth Rs 13,578 crore.The charge sheet mentions the role of jeweller Nirav Modi, his brother Nishal Modi, their business partner Mehul Choksi who is the owner of Gitanjali group, Subhash Purab, an executive at Diamond R US, Solar Exports and Stellar diamonds which were owned by Modi.
The chargesheet deals with the fraudulent issuance over Rs 6,000 crore of Letters of Undertaking to Diamond R US, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds. The CBI had registered three separate FIRs in connection with the alleged fraud in the public sector bank by the companies of Modi and Choksi. Both Modi and Choksi had left the country before PNB filed the complaint with the CBI. On Thursday, the Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice against Choksi. Earlier Choksi had challenged the CBI’s request citing poor conditions of jails.
It also details the role of Punjab National Bank’s former chief Usha Anantha Subramanium. Subramanium, who was the managing director and chief executive officer of PNB between August 2015 and May 2017. Subramanium is now the Managing Director at Allahabad Bank.The names of the executive Directors of the Punjab National Bank; KV Brahmaji Rao and Sanjiv Sharan and Nehal Ahad, the General Manager (International Operations) have been mentioned in the chargesheet. In February, the bank had filed a First Information Report against Modi and Choksi had defrauded it by raising credit from overseas branches of other Indian banks using illegal guarantees issued by rogue PNB staff over several years.
Vipul Ambani, the son of Dhirubhai Ambani’s younger brother Natubhai Ambani was also arrested. He was serving as the Chief Financial and Operating Officer(CFO) of Firestar Diamond, a flagship of Nirav Modi since 2014. He was earlier an Executive Assistant to the Managing Director of Reliance Industries and until 1993 had worked at close quarters with various groups.
Gokunath Shetty, retired Deputy Manager of Punjab National bank, Manoj Hanumant Kharat, single window operator at the bank and Hemant Dahyalal Bhatt, authorised signatory of M/s Diamond R US, M/s Stellar Diamond and M/s Solar Exports revealed to the CBI officers the modus operandi about the scam.
Cryptocurrency scam: June 19
Mastermind surrenders
Sachin Shelar (32), a finance manager and an associate of the prime accused Amit Lakhanpal, surrendered before the anti-extortion cell of the Thane crime branch on June 19. Shelar was wanted by the police for duping victims in the cryptocurrency scam operated through Money Trade Coin Limited (MTC) which is owned by Amit Lakhanpal who is presently absconding.
Lakhanpal had duped 25000 people to the tune of Rs 500 crore. The company had promised to offer an ultra-secure Waller with many levels of verifications for security purposes.Taha Hafiz Qazi, an arrested accused had developed the software. He was arrested on June 4 during a raid at Orion business park at Ghodbunder road.
Lakhanpal is the Managing Director of Flintstone Group, a real estate company which is in operation since 2011. On June 4,the Thane crime branch had registered a First Information Report against Lakhanpal, on the complaint made by Pravin Agarwal, a victim from Delhi.Shelar is the finance manager of Money Trade Coin Limited and Bit Coin Global FZE, Dubai. The registered office of Money Trade Coin Limited is in London.
Nitin Thackeray, senior police inspector, Thane anti-extortion cell said, “Sachin Shelar has been associated with the mastermind Amit Lakhanpal for the past six years. Shelar was working as a finance manager and was handling the business operations of Lakhanpal. A Look Out Circular was issued against Lakhanpal who is presently absconding.” According to the police, MTC had initially launched around 105 million coins and was to launch an additional 20 million coins. The launch function was conducted in July last year at Dubai where Bollywood celebrities and royal family members from Dubai were present. Money Trade Coins has its registered offices at Thane and Vikhroli.
Lakhanpal had offered a Private Initial Coin Offering (PICO). He invited nearly 25000 victims and offered coins for $3 each. Later, he hiked the value of each coin to $ 6000. The victims could not encash their stock at the company since it was not a listed company. Lakhanpal had even written a book titled the “World of Cryptocurrency.” Shelar was arrested for cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust of the Indian Penal Code and under the Maharashtra Protection of Interests of Depositors Act, 1999 and Information Technology Act.
What’s cryptocurrency
A cryptocurrency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses secure financial transactions, control the creation of additional units and verify the transfer of assets. Bitcoins, Ethereum, Zcash, Dash, Ripple and Monero are some of the popular forms of cryptocurrency.
CDR scam: March 23
Thane police submits charge sheet
The Thane crime branch filed a 2,000-page charge sheet against seven accused on March 23 in the Call Detail Records (CDR) scam. The detectives Makesh Madhavan Pandiyan (42), Prashant Shripad Kalekar (49), Jigar Vinod Makwana (35), Samresh Nantoon alias Pratik Mohpal (32), their accomplices Ajinkya Nagargoje (25), Prashant Sonawane (35) and Prashant Palekar (49) were named in the chargesheet. The accused were working at Globe Detective Agency at Vashi. Nitin Thackeray, senior police inspector, Thane anti-extortion cell said, “A charge sheet was filed in the case.
During investigation, detective Prashant Palekar had revealed that he had sought CDRs from an advocate which was mentioned in the charge sheet.” Along with the charge sheet, the police had seized 284 CDRs that have been seized from the accused. Out of the 284 CDRs that have been seized, the details of 160 CDRs were submitted along with the charge sheet. The police had questioned several Bollywood actors after their names cropped up in the scam.
Kamala mills blaze: February 28
N M Joshi Marg Police files 2,700-page charge sheet
The NM Joshi police filed a 2700-page charge sheet in the case on February 28 against 12 accused at the Bhoiwada Magistrate court. On April 28, a supplementary chargesheet was filed against two accused. The chargesheet included the testimony of 261 witnesses.The fire which broke out in Mojo’s Bistro on December 28 and later spread to 1Above pub, killed 14 and injured 19.
During investigations it was found that the owner of Mojo’s Bistro had not complied with fire safety regulations which led to the fire. Yug Pathak and Yug Tuli, the owners of Mojo’s Bistro; Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijit Mankar;owners of restaurant 1Above; Ramesh Govani and Ravi Bhandari owners of Kamala Mills compound; Rajendra Patil, a fire brigade officer , contractor Utkarsh Pandey and the two managers of 1Above, Kevin Bawa and Lisbon Lopez were arrested. Bawa and Lopez were released on bail.
The police had filed a 2700 page chargesheet against the 14 accused. 14 persons died and 55 persons were injured in the fire that broke out on December 29 last year. A total of 14 persons were arrested for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and causing death by negligence. A supplementary chargesheet was submitted at the Bhoiwada court at Dadar on April 28 in the Kamala mills fire incident against Dinesh Mahale, sub-engineer, South ward of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Sandeep Shinde, assistant divisional fire officer at Worli.
Mahale, the sub-engineer had not done a proper inspection of the site before giving the necessary permissions and issuing a No Objection Certificate to Mojo’s Bistro pub from where the fire originated. Shinde along with the accused fire officer Patil had duly signed the documents. According to Suryakant Naikode, investigating officer in the case, “We filed a chargesheet and a supplementary chargesheet against the 14 accused at the Bhoiwada court.”
