This is an archive article published on April 4, 2024
Solving Crime: From posing as fruit vendors in UP to tracking 97 SIM cards, how Mumbai cops’ ‘Mission Alibaba’ succeeded
The investigation into a theft at a businessman’s flat in Dahisar saw a Mumbai police team travel to several cities in Uttar Pradesh to nab the suspects.
The police swung into action and went through call data records (CDR) and footage from nearly 170 CCTV cameras. (Express Archives)
It was a seemingly uncomplicated robbery case. A theft had occurred at a businessman’s apartment in suburban Dahisar and gold worth Rs 42 lakh and Rs 40,000 in cash had been stolen. The investigation into the case, however, saw a Mumbai police team scan footage from nearly 170 CCTV cameras, track the locations of 97 SIM cards, and disguise themselves as fruit vendors and postmen. It took nearly 11 months for the suspects to be caught from Uttar Pradesh and ‘Mission Alibaba’ to succeed.
On the afternoon of December 31, 2021, as per the police, the businessman had stepped out of his house. When he returned, he found the door unlocked and a cupboard dismantled. The gold jewellery belonging to his wife, four ‘lagad’ or gold bars and cash were missing. The businessman registered a first information report (FIR) at Dahisar police station against unknown persons for theft of 933 grams of gold and Rs 40,000 cash — worth Rs 42,38,500 in total.
The police swung into action and went through call data records (CDR) and footage from nearly 170 CCTV cameras. One of the suspects was spotted at Vasai railway station. Meanwhile, the police team also started tracking mobile numbers to trace the suspects’ locations. The suspects kept changing SIM cards, however, the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers remained unchanged, enabling the police to keep tracking them.
While tracing their whereabouts, the police found that one of the suspects, Haidarali Aftab Husain Saifi, had entered his name on the Truecaller mobile application as ‘Alibaba’. Amused by the discovery, they named the operation to catch the thieves ‘Mission Alibaba’.
In November 2022, the team struck pay dirt when some of the stolen gold was recovered.
As the last location of one of the accused was traced to Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, the police team travelled to the state and made rounds of Amroha, Bijnor and Greater Noida, posing as fruit vendors and postmen to blend into the crowd. They also took help from the Uttar Pradesh Police.
Soon, Saifi and Salman Julfikar Ansari alias Bunty were arrested. The police claimed that the two had confessed to the crime. Till their arrest, the accused had changed 97 SIM cards, the police claimed. The police also arrested a jeweller, Khushal Varma, for allegedly buying the stolen ornaments, some of which were recovered. The fourth suspect, Mohammed Mumtiyaj Qureshi alias Baba, however, remained an absconding accused.
Later, a Mumbai court granted bail to the three accused and a chargesheet was filed in the case.
Rejecting Qureshi’s anticipatory bail plea, Sessions Judge D G Dhoble on February 14, 2023, had observed that Ansari and Saifi, in their confessional statements, said that they along with Qureshi had committed theft. Moreover, the judge noted that Qureshi, who the prosecution claimed was the main accused, was also captured in certain CCTV footage and there was “ample material against him to have been involved in present offence”.
Dismissing his pre-arrest bail plea, the judge noted that Qureshi’s physical custody was required to recover the stolen jewellery and to “unearth crucial information” about the “serious offence”.
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
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