Mumbai: The iconic Mumbai Crime Branch building a silent witness to some of the city’s most high-profile criminal investigations is set to be demolished soon. The structure, located inside the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s Headquarters at Dhobi Talao, Crawford Market, has deteriorated significantly and will be replaced with a new six-storey building.
A Legacy Since 1909
The two-storey stone building has housed the Crime Branch since 1909. Over the decades, it has witnessed interrogations of notorious criminals and terrorists, including 26/11 attacker Ajmal Kasab, underworld don Abu Salem, Abu Jundal, gangster Arun Gawli, and actor Sanjay Dutt during the 1993 Mumbai blasts probe.
Structure Declared Dangerous
A Building in Dangerous Condition:
While the front façade still appears stable, the iron beams at the rear have severely corroded, making the structure unsafe. A structural audit recommended immediate demolition.
A senior police officer said, “The Mumbai Police force has expanded, and we are facing a severe space crunch at the headquarters. Since this building is beyond repair, the decision has been taken to demolish it and construct a new, modern building in its place.”
New Six-Storey Facility Planned
The proposed building will be six storeys tall and will house:
Crime Branch offices
A modern CCTV monitoring centre
Administrative departments
Conference and meeting rooms
The existing Crime Branch units will be temporarily shifted to the new administrative building within the Commissioner’s Office compound until construction is completed.
Origins of the Crime Branch
The Crime Investigation Department (CID) was formed on 8 June 1909, following widespread protests after the 1908 arrest of Lokmanya Tilak on sedition charges. The British administration strengthened intelligence-gathering efforts on political activists and required a dedicated office.
A building near Crawford Market previously used to accommodate Haj pilgrims was allocated for the CID. That same structure has served as the Crime Branch headquarters for more than a century.
In 1920, a separate Special Branch, tasked with intelligence on foreign nationals and political activity, was carved out and later relocated, while the Crime Branch continued operating from the original building.
Witness to India’s Most Notorious Cases
Witness to Mumbai’s Most Historic Criminal Cases:
The old Crime Branch building has seen interrogations linked to several landmark investigations, including:
26/11 Mumbai attacks: questioning of Ajmal Kasab
1993 Mumbai blasts: grilling of Sanjay Dutt by Rakesh Maria
Interrogations of Chhota Rajan, Arun Gawli, Abu Salem, Ejaz Lakdawala
Cricket betting and match-fixing enquiries involving Bollywood personalities
The demolition marks the end of an era, closing a historic chapter in Mumbai’s crime investigation legacy.
