Mumbai Notes

Riyaz Ahmed Mohammed Shafi Khan and Shantaram Kashiram Kore were arrested on October 29, 1994, from Dongri for possession of one 9 mm pistol, two six chambered .32 revolvers and one 8 mm pistol with magazines and charged under TADA.

The judge said in his order that the prosecution had failed to establish the guilt against the two accused. One ground for acquittal was that investigating officer Police Inspector LB Shaikh now suspended in connection with an corruption case had concealed certain facts which affected his creditability. Another ground was the contradictory statements made by constable Sunil Hinge, who in the FIR said the number affixed on the pistol was 88888, while during examination, he gave it as 83888. The panch witness in the case, Mohammed Salim Abdul Kader Mitha, was also declared hostile by Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian.During examination, Mitah had complained of chest pain, and he failed to turn up for certain dates. He also refused police protection given by the court and later turned hostile when he appeared before court after being issued a bailable warrant.

Weapons seized from car

The police today seized a cache of weapons after chasing a car which knocked down a boy at Goregaon this afternoon.

At around 2 pm, a speeding Maruti 800 knocked down a boy at the Goregaon-Aarey Milk Colony junction. The car was noticed by traffic constable Bhagvan Jadhav, who chased it on a motorcycle well over a distance of three kms. When the car screeched to a halt near Udyog Bhavan on the Western Express Highway, the occupant aimed a handgun at the constable which failed to work.

The car occupant quickly escaped after abondoning the vehicle. A country-made revolver, nine choppers and four soda water bottles were recovered.