Latest news with #GujCTOC
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Gujarat Police begins process to have its own head constable prosecuted under GujCTOC Act following arrest in prohibition case
Six years after the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (GujCTOC) Act came into force, the police in the state has initiated the process to assess if it could have one of its own suspended personnel prosecuted under the law. The case pertains to the recent arrest of a head constable by the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) that functions directly under the office of the chief of Gujarat Police. Head Constable Sajan Virabhai Vasrani is accused of taking bribe in lieu of smooth passage of a consignment of liquor, which is prohibited in the state. If it comes through, Vasrani's prosecution would become the first such case of a policeman being booked under the law that came into force in 2019. On July 19, the SMC received information that the driver of a heavy vehicle was transporting a gas capsule container filled with Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). On the Bharuch-Vadodara highway, the Vadodara Rural Police stopped, searched and seized the consignment. The Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Vadodara Rural Police seized 20,340 bottles of IMFL worth Rs 1.73 crore and arrested one Fagluram Umaram Jat. Two others, Anil Jagdish Prasad and Manish Bhaiji, were declared 'wanted' and booked under sections of the Gujarat Prohibition Act on July 20. However, the SMC said in its statement on Saturday, it received information that the members of this bootlegging gang had allegedly paid a bribe of Rs 15 lakh for the consignment to be transported through Gujarat unmolested. In its statement, the SMC said it found 'that the accused persons had paid a bribe of Rs 15 lakh to someone known only as Rahulbhai in Bharuch. The money was transferred to Gandhinagar via angadia (a traditional, informal courier system) with instructions that the amount was payable to a person bearing a specific Rs 10 note. The sender of the IMFL consignment, Anil alias Pandia Jagdishprasad Jat of Rajasthan, had sent the Rs 15 lakh by angadia the same day, according to the statement. On the other end, a man named Hardik had taken possession of Rs 5 lakh from the angadia firm and had further sent the other Rs 10 lakh via same mode to a man named Rakesh, in Junagadh, the statement further said. In Junagadh, this amount of Rs 10 lakh was picked up by a man named Rocky, allegedly on the instructions of Vasrani who turned out to be a Police Head Constable posted with the SMC itself in Gandhinagar, according to the statement. On June 23, DGP Vikas Sahay transferred Vasrani to his parent police department in Dwarka district, placed him under suspension, and initiated an SMC-led departmental inquiry against him. On the other hand, the SMC alleged that Vasrani switched his phone off and went underground the day he was transferred. However, he was apprehended by his colleagues at the SMC on July 25 under section 35(1)(j) (arrest without warranty) of the BNSS (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita), and was handed over to Vadodara Rural Police as accused in the FIR filed under the Prohibition Act. The SMC statement said that it had obtained and filed as evidence five voice recordings between Head Constable Vasrani and Jat, who is the main accused in the case filed under GujCTOC Act. The SMC has now begun proceedings to have Vasrani added to the same FIR. DIG Nirlipt Rai told The Indian Express, 'There is a process to book someone under GujCTOC. For that, we have to gather the evidence, and then we will file our report before the Inspector General (IG) of the Border Range, who has jurisdiction over Dwarka. The Range IG will then decide whether to add him to the FIR. GujCTOC is meant to take action against those helping people engaged in organised crime.'
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Time of India
GujCTOC invoked against cybercrime gang
Surat: A gang of cybercriminals has been been booked under the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act (GuJCTOC) for allegedly facilitating transactions worth Rs 197 crore — proceeds of cyber fraud — through 1,029 bank accounts linked to 214 FIRs registered across the country. The gang of Milan Darji and 10 others allegedly layered, laundered and transferred the proceeds of cyberfraud perpetrated across the globe by Chinese gangs. Darji operated the 46-member gang from Dubai. Eleven of them have been arrested by Surat police so far. Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Bhavesh Roziya told TOI: "This is probably the first case of a cybercrime gang in which GujCTOC has been invoked. From the scale of the crime and the large number of offenders involved, it was necessary to use this law which targets organized crime. GujCTOC makes it difficult for cybercriminals to get out of jail easily and perpetrate more cybercrimes." Sweta Daniels, assistant commissioner of police (ACP crime), told TOI: "We registered an offence of cyberfraud in Oct, where Milan Darji was the prime accused and was running the racket from Dubai. We found 46 gang members were involved in the racket. There were 1,029 bank accounts involved and transactions worth Rs 197 crore were made. The NCCRP portal showed 1,867 complaints and 214 cyberfraud FIRs where these 1,029 bank accounts were listed. Over the past few months, we arrested 11 of the 46 gang members and booked them under GujCTOC." Those arrested and booked under GujCTOC are Ajay Italiya, Jalpesh Nadiyadara, Vishal Thummar, Hiren Barwaliya, Brijesh Italiya, Ketan Vekariya, Nanjibhai Baraiya, Heet Jasani, Chandres Kakadiya, Dashrath Dhandhaliya and Anil Kheni. The gang leader, Milan Darji, is absconding along with 35 others who are accused in various FIRs. The gang would withdraw cash from Indian banks that have branches in Dubai and convert it into the cryptocurrency USDT to transfer to Chinese gangs.
Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Indian Express
Bootleggers held under GUJCTOC sent to police custody for eight days
A local court in Vadodara on Monday granted eight days police custody of two members of a gang of bootleggers, arrested by the State Monitoring Cell under the stringent provisions of Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Act (GujCTOC) Special Public Prosecutor Raghuvir Pandya submitted in the court that the 13-member gang was involved in illegal trade of liquor across the state as well as a racket of forged GST bills, which 'needed in-depth investigation'. Pandya also informed the court that the gang had expanded its network in Morbi, Rajkot as well as Ahmedabad. Pandya said, 'The State Monitoring Cell, following the procedure, sought permission from the Vadodara Commissioner of Police before registering the FIR under GUJTCOC in SMC Gandhinagar… We informed the court that a detailed investigation into the financial gains amassed by the accused by way of selling illicit alcohol is essential, to also understand how the proceeds of crime have been used and where the amount has been invested.' Considering the arguments put forth by Pandya, the court granted eight days custody of the two arrested accused to the SMC. Teams have been formed to nab the 11 others, who are booked in the case.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Time of India
Bootleggers held under GujCTOC sent to police custody for 7 days
Vadodara: The two bootleggers booked under the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (GujCTOC) Act by the state monitoring cell were remanded in police custody for seven days by a court in the city on Monday. The two are Chhabinathsinh Rajput, a resident of Ahmedabad, and Ravi Maachi, a resident of Vadodara. Both have dozens of cases registered against them. Rajput has 12 prohibition cases registered against him and was detained under the Prevention of Anti-Social Act (PASA) twice. Maachi was booked in eight prohibition cases and was detained under PASA once. Police said both are linked to organized gangs that smuggle liquor into the state. "Police sought their custody to trace the assets they acquired using the ill-gotten gains and to find the godowns where they stored liquor. The investigation will also focus on tracing the other accused involved in the smuggling," said Raghuveer Pandya, the public prosecutor, adding that this is the third such case in the state against notorious bootleggers.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Time of India
Surat gangster Sajju Kothari arrested again for threatening nephew over loan dispute
Surat: The police on Saturday recovered 23 live catrridges and two country-made pistols form the residence of Yunus Kothari, brother history-sheeter Sajju Kothani, during reconstruction of a crime scene. The police were conducting the inquest regarding the FIR of threats against their nephew, Aquib Kothari. The cartridges are compatible with country-made pistols. The incident unfolded when Sajju and Yunus confronted Aquib over an unpaid loan of Rs 30 lakh. Aquib had borrowed Rs 50 lakh from Sajju's wife, Kausarbanu, over the past few years, and repaid Rs 20 lakh. During the altercation, Sajju allegedly brandished the pistol at Aquib. Aquib's brother, Aftab, alerted the police, leading to the arrest of Sajju and Yunus. A country-made pistol with 10 bullets was recovered from Sajju's are ongoing find out the source of firearms and ammunition. Both brothers have a history of multiple previously booked under the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act (GujCTOC) for extortion, was recently released on bail by the Supreme Court with the condition that he must not enter Surat city limits except for court proceedings. Despite this, he visited his brother in Nanpura on Friday while in the city to appear in on Aquib's complaint, the Athwalines police booked the brothers for attempt to commit murder and relevant sections of the Arms Act and Money Laundering commissioner of police, Zone 4, Vijaysingh Gurjar, said, "There are two cases of GujCTOC against Sajju and his gang members. He got bail in both cases from the Supreme Court on the condition that he should not enter the Surat city jurisdiction. He had violated the bail conditions as well."Sajju has been named multiple criminal activities, including gambling, illegal moneylending, and extortion.
