Crimes of 2021: From Mansukh Hiren murder case to Dhanbad hit & run case; here's a recap

Murder, Rape, Extortion, Drug abuse- Every year, re are a number of cases of crimes witnessed, and year 2021 was different. From Mansukh Hiren murder case to Sakinaka rape case to Mudra drug haul, listed here are few of cases that made headlines and kept investigative ncies like NCB, CBI, CID on ir toes. 

Airport Manr of Indigo shot dead

On January 12, Airport Manr with Indigo Airlines in Patna Rupesh Kumar was shot dead by unidentified gunmen. incident took place around 7 pm when Kumar was on his way home from airport and a gang of bikers opened fire on him. 

Bihar government under CM Nitish Kumar had formed a 5-member SIT to probe into murder. Three accused, namely Rituraj, Saurabh, and Pushkar have been arrested while one or is on run. 

Mansukh Hiren’s murder

On March 5, exactly 8 days after a gelatin-laden Scorpio was found outside Ambani residence, car’s owner Mansukh Hiren was found dead at Kalwa creek. While his murder was tried to be waved off as suicide, his wife claimed murder. 

case was investigated by National Investigative ncy (NIA), which in its chargesheet that ran over 1000 ps named dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze, former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, dismissed police officer Sunil Mane, dismissed police constable Vinayak Shinde, Naresh Gor, Santosh Shelar, Anand Jadhav, Manish Soni, Satish Tirupati Mutkari among ors. 

chargesheet read,” During investigation, incriminating evidence came to fore against abovementioned 10 arrested accused involved in various sts of conspiracy of placing gelatin-laden Mahindra Scorpio vehicle, its ft and commission of murder of Mansukh Hiren.” 

Extortion racket in Mumbai

On March 20, Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh after being shunted to position of Commandant General, Home Guards wrote a letter to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray accusing n Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of asking disgraced former Mumbai cop Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore per month from bars, hotels, and restaurants in city. 

On April 21, CBI had registered an FIR against Anil Deshmukh. On May 11, ED filed an ECIR against Anil Deshmukh under Prevention of Money Laundering Act for allegedly obtaining illegal gratification which was based on corruption case registered by CBI. reafter, ED summoned multiple summonses to Deshmukh but he avoided appearing, and in fact, moved a petition before Bombay HC. Bombay High Court, however, rejected petition on October 29, and on vember 1, he finally appeared before ED. It is on same day he was arrested. 

Vismaya dowry-death case 

On June 25, 24-year-old Ayurveda doctor Vismaya was found dead in her husband S Kiran Kumar’s house in Sasthamkotra in Kollam district in mysterious circumstances.

Kerala Police initiated an investigation, and later on filed a chargesheet. In chargesheet, police stated that Vismaya died by suicide to dowry harassment. According to police, re are several circumstantial pieces of evidence to prove guilt of husband, presently in judicial custody. 

Dhanbad judge hit and run case 

On July 28, Additional District Judge Uttam Anand posted in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand was killed after being hit by a vehicle. In CCTV foot, it was seen that Anand was on sides of a fairly wide road at Randhir Verma Chowk in Dhanbad when a three-wheeler hit him from behind and fled. He was rushed to nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
At first, on instructions of High Court, Jharkhand Government had formed a Special Investigation Team to probe case. However, later case was transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation. 

CBI had in October filed a chargesheet, in which it had named driver of three-wheeler Lakhan Verma, and his accomplice Rahul Verma. duo is presently in Judicial custody. 

Sakinaka rape case

On September 9, a woman in her 30s was brutally raped, and a rod was inserted in her private parts in Mumbai’s Sakinaka area. She was found by police in a tempo, bleeding and was rushed to a hospital. She was on ventilator support until she passed away. 

With help of CCTV foot, main accused Mohan Chouhan, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur district was taken into custody. He was booked under Sections 302, 376, 323, 504 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

NC leader found dead in Delhi

On September 9, National Conference (NC) leader Tarlochan Singh Wazir was found dead in a flat in New Delhi. As per police, Wazir had travelled to Delhi on September 2 and reafter, had gone to meet his acquaintance Harpreet Singh in a rented flat in Basai Darapur area of West Delhi. He was supposed to stay with Harpreet Singh till his flight to Canada on September 2 but all of a sudden, communication from side of NC leader stopped.  Worried, his family informed Jammu Police which in turn approached Delhi Police, who found him dead. 

Delhi Crime Branch is probing case. While team has arrested three people, main accused Harpreet Singh Khalsa is still on run. 

Mundra Port haul

On September 12, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 2,988.21 kg (almost 3 tonnes) of heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore from two containers at Mundra port. As per reports, heroin was imported by a trading company registered in Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh and was declared as semi-processed talc stones originating from Afghanistan and shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran to Mundra Port in Gujarat. heroin that came packed in in plastic pipes painted to resemble bamboos was alleged to be taken to Delhi, and afterwards, to or states, especially Punjab. 

A couple- Machavaram Sudhakar and his wife Govindaraju Durga Purna Vaisali, were arrested by DRI in connection to case. Also, a Coimbatore resident, Rajkumar P was arrested. 

Cordelia Cruise drug bust 

On October 2, NCB busted a high-profile drug party on Cordelia cruise ship en route from Mumbai to Goa. As per sources, NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, along with his team, boarded cruise ship in guise of passengers after receiving a tip-off about purported drug party from CISF and raided it mid-sea. 

central ncy seized small amounts of Cocaine, Mephedrone, Charas, Hydroponic Weed, MDMA, and cash Rs. 1,33,000, and arrested eight people - Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Nupur Sarika, Ismeet Singh, Mohak Jaswal, Vikrant Chhoker, Gomit Chopra.

On basis of statements given by those arrested, follow-up operations were conducted, and 12 more people were taken into custody, taking total number of arrests in relation to Cordelia cruise case to 20. Of 20, two were foreign nationals.

Twin Political Murders in Kerala

On December 18, Social Democratic Party of India SDPI Kerala Secretary KS Shan was brutally murdered. Shan was headed home, when a gang of a few unidentified people in a car overtook his bike, stumped it and n stabbed him. He succumbed to his injuries at a Kochi hospital, where he was taken to for treatment. Less than 10 hours later, Ranjith Srinivasan, OBC Morcha State Secretary and a member of BJP state committee, was mercilessly killed by a few unidentified people who barged into his house late at night. 

A Special Investigation Team under DGP Vijay Sakhare has been formed to probe twin murders. In murder of Shan, fourteen persons including five-member gang that hacked SDPI leader to death have been arrested. y are allegedly linked to RSS. 

person directly involved in Srinivasan’s murder has been apprehended. However, five people who had abetted murder by ensuring logistic support have been arrested. y are allegedly linked to SDPI. 

Kanpur businessman who hoarded Rs.193 crore cash at home 

On December 24, Ahmedabad unit of Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) received intelligence that pan masala and G company Trimurti Fragrance, manufacturers of a branded Gutkha, are transporting materials without any invoices and without paying taxes. DGGI Ahmedabad team started searches on manufacturer of Pan Masala and ir supplier, and that’s how trail led to Piyush Jain, a perfume manufacturer in Kanpur. In six days of raids at various premises of Jain, 23 kg of gold worth over 11 crores have been found. raid team also found Rs 193 crore in cash. 

Enforcement Directorate (ED) is w also monitoring developments in Piyush Jain case. As per sources, financial investigation ncy has sought details from GST Intelligence about cash recovery.