Escaped Accused from Navi Mumbai's Nerul Police Station Arrested in West Bengal

Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a 38-year-old accused who escaped from Nerul Police Station last week. Identified as Sahil alias Shaheen Shirajul Mandal, the accused was traced and apprehended in Bithari, West Bengal.

The accused was arrested during a raid carried out by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit on March 14, 2025, at Hotel Satyam Hospitality, Nerul, where five women were rescued from a prostitution racket. Following the raid, Mandal and another accused were taken into custody.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, Mandal escaped from police custody on March 15 at around 6:30 AM, prompting authorities to register a fresh case against him.

Acting on technical intelligence, a special team led by Sub-Inspector Alka Patil was dispatched to West Bengal. On March 18 at 8:25 AM, Mandal was tracked down and arrested. He was later transported back to Navi Mumbai, where he was produced before the court and remanded to police custody until March 21, 2025.

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe, along with senior officials, had earlier directed strict action against illegal activities in the region. The case remains under investigation at Nerul Police Station.