Cyber police focus shifted to illegal businesses

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The cyber police have shifted their focus from cybercrimes to illegal businesses following a series of controversial transfers. In the last twelve hours, the team conducted three successful raids targeting sand smuggling and gutka trafficking.

The police received information about gutka being smuggled in a car in the MIDC Waluj area. They followed the vehicle and arrested Saurabh Kashinath Argade (23) and Amol Vilas Shinde (29) both residents of Waluj, at Oasis Chowk. The police seized gutka worth Rs 3.17 lakh from the car. In another raid, the cyber police apprehended two trucks involved in sand smuggling in the Daulatabad, MIDC, and Cidco areas. Kailas Thorat (45) was arrested in the first raid, with the truck owned by Aalim Sayyed from Sajapur. In the second raid, Rameshwar Pachonde (30) was arrested, with the truck owned by Sharad Ramabhau Solunke (32) from Ambad. Sources revealed that while the accused’s mobile phones were supposed to be handed over to the investigating officers, the cyber police kept them. This has raised questions about the handling of the case. Since transfers from the Crime Branch, the cyber police's focus has shifted to illegal businesses, raising concerns in the commissioner’s office about the potential impact on cybercrime investigations.