How an impromptu stop for a dhaba lunch made a man panic, confess to murder
Hakim Khambati — the owner of a building on Lamington road which collapsed in 2009 — went missing in 2012, following which police tracked his mobile phone's last signal to Charoti Naka near Vasai in Palghar district, where they found his decomposed body.
The crime branch of Mumbai Police did not have to reach an interrogation to get a suspect in a 2012 murder that took place in South Mumbai to confess. A simple stop for lunch at a highway dhaba while on the way to a crime spot in Thane district triggered a panicked confession rom the accused.
Hakim Khambati — the owner of a building on Lamington road which collapsed in 2009 — went missing in 2012, following which police tracked his mobile phone’s last signal to Charoti Naka near Vasai in Palghar district, where they found his decomposed body.
As per police, Irfan Yunus Namakwala, who was allegedly in engaged in a property-related feud with Khambati, emerged as a suspect in the case. However, police lacked any substantial evidence to nail him. With leads drying up, Police officers decided to drive Manakwala to the site where the body was recovered from. While they were on their way to the location, the police team decided to stop at Kinara Dhaba at Bhayander on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway for lunch.
However, Namakwala panicked and his face lost colour the moment they arrived at the Dhaba. Assuming that police were aware he had dined at the exact spot with others after committing the alleged crime, police said he ended up confessing his full role and even praised the “tricky investigation” by cops. He allegedly told the police that he and two others were involved in killing Khambati.
The Police said there was a twist — that they had initially planned to eat at another eatery in Manor but they stuck with Kinara Dhaba.
Namakwala allegedly claimed that he and two others, made a fake power of attorney document after killing Khambati to show that they had permission to redevelop the Yusuf Manzil building.
Along with Namakwala, Police arrested the other two, Mohammed Ansari and Ahmed Sorathiya in 2012. They were arrested for offences punishable under sections 302 (murder), 365 (kidnapping and abducting), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 465 (Forgery), 420 (cheating), 506 (criminal intimidation) among other provisions of Indian Penal Code.
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The Bombay High Court in October 2013 granted Namakwala bail. In 2018, a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was issued against him as he was absent for one of the hearings. After he was produced in court, he was sent to judicial custody. In April, 2019, a sessions court granted bail to Namakwala and ordered him not to leave Mumbai without prior permission of the investigating officer. In October, 2025, the case was transferred from a fast track court in Sewree to a sessions court and the trial is yet to be completed.
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.
Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:
Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:
Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).
Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).
Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.
Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.
Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.
Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More
