Mumbai Notes

Tree at HC sheds branches
MUMBAI, May 18: The Bombay High Court made out-of-court news, for a change. One of its old gulmohar trees shed its branches, damaging two cars parked in the court compound. The tree was situated near one of the building entrances facing Hong Kong Bank. Four persons received minor injuries in the accident, claimed fire brigade authorities, who received a call around 2.17 in the afternoon. Due to ongoing court vacations, there were very few people near the site save the omnipresent curious onlooker.

Shakeel men gun down ABS man
In what is seen as a retaliation against the killing of Chhota Shakeel8217;s top aide Salim Passport last week in Bhendi Bazaar, the Shakeel gang gunned down Bharat Mhatre, a top rung member of Arun Gawli8217;s Akhil Bhartiya Sena ABS at Nagpada in the early hours of Monday morning. At around 00.15 hrs, the Nagpada police discovered a bullet-ridden body near the signal of the Nagpada police hospital. The body had 13 bullet injuries. Ataxi-driver, who had sustained a bullet injury on his arm in the firing, told the police that a few minutes before midnight, he had seen four men leaving Banjara Beer Bar. A man accosted them and opened fire, killing Mhatre. The others escaped unhurt. The gunman then stood on Mhatre and fired more rounds on him before fleeing, stated the taxi driver. The victim8217;s identity was earlier suspect as even Gawli8217;s top aides, including Suresh Bhaskar and Raju Phillips, could not identify the body. Sources say Shakeel had Mhatre killed to avenge Passport8217;s killing.

Rs 77 lakh worth goods seized
Imported electronic goods worth Rs 77 lakh was seized from a truck at Cotton Green on Monday. The driver was remanded to judicial custody till May 25 by additional metropolitan magistrate N B Pokharkar. The goods were loaded at Raigarh. In another case Pokharkar gave four days custody to a constable Rajaram Surve for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 1,200 from a Gujarat Airways staff member who hadgone to him for no objection certificate required to employ staffers.