7 held for robbery at doctor's flat; part of booty recovered

Seven persons, including a notorious criminal who was once associated with late gangster Amar Naik, were arrested for Rs 25.7 lakh robbery of cash and valuables at a doctor's flat here, police said today.
They were nabbed during an operation launched after recieving a tip-off and spread over yesterday and today, said Police inspector (Crime Branch) Deepak Phatangare.
"Gold valuables worth Rs 4.5 lakh and Rs 50,000 in cash were recovered from them," he added.
The accused were identified as Sudhir Shinde (43), Pravin Sawant (30), Sahil Ahmed Shaikh (35), Rakesh Palav (23), Suryakant Mhasane (37), Deepak Gurav (36) and Ganesh Sawant (33).

Shinde, who faces 21 criminal cases, including murder, robbery and extortion, used to be a close aide of Naik, while Ganesh is employed as operation theatre assistant with the victim doctor Vijay Bhatt, the officer said.
Ganesh shared information about Bhatt's family with the six others but did not directly participate in the crime, police said.

According to Phatangare, the robbery took place on July 11 at Vindhyachal Apartment in suburban Jogeshwari where the doctor lives with his elderly parents, wife and sister.
Bhatt, who runs an eye hospital located on ground and first floors of the building, was not at home at the time of the crime.

At about 4 pm on July 11, two men came to his fifth floor flat, saying they wanted to deliver a gift. As soon as Bhatt's sister opened the door, they forced their way inside. The four other accused, who were waiting nearby, also followed their accomplices inside, brandishing guns and choppers.
"The six accused tied up the victims and gagged their mouths. The robbers dragged the family members to a bathroom and locked them in," Phatangare said.
He said the accused ransacked the house and fled with valuables worth Rs 4.9 lakh and Rs 20.8 lakh in cash.
Those arrested were today produced before a court which remanded them in police custody till July 28.