In a significant breakthrough, the Kharghar Police have successfully cracked the April 24 robbery case involving businessman Sushant More (41), who was robbed of 570 grams of gold ornaments valued at Rs 40.6 lakh near his residence in Sector 12, Kharghar. The police arrested seven accused, including More's friend Abhinandan Mali (37) from Sangli, who is believed to have masterminded the entire operation.
Investigation and Arrests
The investigation, which spanned two weeks, involved the formation of four police teams from Kharghar, Kamothe, Kalamboli, and Taloja. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prashant Mohite revealed that Mali conspired with his wife Komal (26) from Sangli and her brother Vaibhav Mali (24) from Satara to plan the robbery. The trio allegedly arranged three robbers and an aide, shared More's photograph, and informed them that he would be returning from a hotel in Belapur after dinner.
The Robbery Incident
On April 24, around 12:30 am, three men attacked More outside Shivam Society in Kharghar. One of the accused slashed More's forearm with a knife before the gang fled with a bag containing gold ornaments. More's chauffeur Mahesh Hatey and Abhinandan Mali, who were with him, were also assaulted when they tried to resist the attackers.
Technical Analysis Leads to Arrests
Call data records played a crucial role in uncovering Abhinandan Mali's involvement. DCP Mohite stated, "Call data records revealed Abhinandan Mali's role in planning the robbery with his wife and brother-in-law, who arranged robbers from Satara." Police arrested Abhinandan, Komal, and Vaibhav on April 27. Using mobile dump data, technical analysis, and CCTV footage from toll plazas, investigators tracked and arrested Shubham Dhanaji Patole (20) and Sandeep Krishnadev Gujanle (20), both from Datewadi in Satara district, from Vaduj on April 28.
Remaining Accused Apprehended
The remaining accused — Harshad Ramesh Sagare (25) from Visapur in Sangli and Rahul alias Amit Rajendra Mali (23) from Tasgaon in Sangli — allegedly evaded arrest initially. However, a team led by Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sharad Barkade tracked and arrested them from Tavshi in Pandharpur on May 7.
Recovery of Stolen Items
DCP Mohite confirmed the recovery of all 570 grams of stolen gold ornaments, the knife used in the crime, a fake pistol, and the car and bike used by the accused. The successful operation highlights the effectiveness of coordinated police work and technical surveillance in solving complex crimes.
