Four lured victims claiming Delhi contacts, arrested

Mumbai: Investigations into the transfer racket busted by Mumbai crime branch have revealed that the arrested four, including the general manager of Mahananda, Vidyasagar Hirmukhe (47), lured DCP Namdeo Chavan by claiming contacts in central ministries. Crime branch officials have also found some visiting cards from one of the accused which show him to be attached to one of the ministries in Delhi.

Officials said the accused — Kishore Mali, 38, from Pune; Vishal Ombale, 40; and Virendra Singh Yadav, 51 — claimed they could use their clout in the central government to get Chavan transferred to Navi Mumbai, where his family resides.

An officer said, “We have learned that the accused were in touch with Chavan for the past five days. Mali, who was formerly PA of the then minister Sitaram Mehetre, was the point man in Mumbai who was in touch with Yadav, who they projected as their boss.”

Officials said Yadav claimed to be a real estate agent  from Delhi who had been to Mumbai for some work and was put up in a five-star hotel near the airport in Vile Parle. It was at that point that the accused insisted that Chavan meet Yadav.

The officer said, “Chavan had told the police about the whole incident. He was in Mumbai on holiday and a plan was formulated to lay a trap during that meeting on Wednesday, May 31. A team of unit VIII of the crime branch kept tabs outside the hotel room while the meeting unfolded inside and then nabbed them.”