Mahape Racket Busted After Defrauding Vehicle Owners of Rs 88 Lakh Nationwide

The Racket

In a major crackdown on cyber fraud, the Navi Mumbai Cyber Police and Crime Branch have busted a sophisticated fake call center operating out of a tech park in Mahape. The scam, which had been running since April 2025, defrauded vehicle owners across the nation of over Rs88 lakh by offering fraudulent motor insurance renewals.

The operation was uncovered after investigators analyzed 145 complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP). By tracing the fraudulent SIM cards used in the scam, the cyber team pinpointed the IT park location. The masterminds targeted citizens by posing as legitimate insurance executives, collecting premiums for policy renewals, and then severing all contact without issuing actual policies.

Three key suspects identified as Prasad Todankar, Vaibhav Ingle, and Fayaz Abbas Nasir have been arrested in connection with the racket. Furthermore, the police have served legal notices to 32 tele-calling agents employed at the center. During the raid, authorities seized a massive cache of digital evidence, including 26 mobile phones, 27 computer hard disks, 5 laptops, and 8 active SIM cards used to execute the calls.

Senior officials have urged vehicle owners to remain vigilant against unsolicited insurance offers. Citizens are advised never to share sensitive bank details or OTPs over the phone. Any suspicious financial activity should be reported immediately to the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930.

Following widespread monsoon collapses, Navi Mumbai shifts to expert-led pruning and green guidelines to protect urban canopy.

The Measures

In response to a severe wave of rain-induced tree falls, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has announced plans to implement a scientific Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for tree management. The decision follows an emergency review chaired by Municipal Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde and leading arborists to tackle the root causes of the structural failures.

Expert analysis revealed that over 90 percent of tree collapses occurred along roadsides and inside housing societies, driven largely by urban constraints. Excessive concretization and frequent utility excavation have severely restricted root growth and weakened soil grip. Additionally, unscientific pruning where branches are cut from only one side—leaves trees structurally imbalanced and highly vulnerable to monsoon winds. Environmental factors like phototropism, where trees lean awkwardly around tall buildings to catch sunlight, further compound the risk.

To counter this, the NMMC’s new SOP will enforce strict guidelines aligned with National Green Tribunal (NGT) principles. The civic body will mandate balanced crown trimming under expert supervision to reduce wind resistance. Crucially, the pruning schedule will shift entirely to the pre-monsoon months of March and April. To ensure accountability, workers must document the process with “before and after” photography. High-risk, leaning trees will face case-by-case technical assessments to enhance public safety while preserving the city’s green cover.

Navi Mumbai police bust a massive ‘mule account’ operation routing over Rs 61 lakh across multiple states.

The Case

A resident of Sanpada has been booked by the Vashi police after a single bank account registered in his name was exposed as a central hub for nationwide cyber crime. The suspect, identified as Harsh Ankush Nimbalkar, reportedly allowed syndicates to weaponize his account to layer and launder stolen money.

According to law enforcement authorities, Nimbalkar opened a savings account at a nationalized bank branch in Vashi. Within a span of less than a month, the account witnessed sudden, massive transaction volumes, accumulating a staggering total of Rs 61.74 lakh. The illicit funds were rapidly funneled out to various secondary accounts controlled by cyber criminals before authorities could freeze the assets.

The operation collapsed when the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP) flagged the account. A digital money trail analysis linked the account to 31 distinct fraud complaints filed by victims across multiple Indian states. Realizing the account was functioning as a classic “money mule” a buffer used by masterminds to hide their identities the Vashi police took decisive action. Nimbalkar has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating and dishonestly receiving stolen property as investigations continue to trace the wider syndicate.