Thane: Bogus ration card racket busted in Bhiwandi, ATS arrests three persons

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Three persons were arrested by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad in Bhiwandi in Thane district for allegedly selling fake ration cards, an official told news agency PTI on Sunday.

A decoy was used to confirm a tip off on Friday and two ration card agents and a ration shop owner were held and several bogus ration cards and other incriminating documents were seized from them, ATS Thane unit inspector Ananda Patil told PTI.

A case was registered against them for cheating, forgery and other offences at Nizampura police station on Saturday, the official told PTI.

Further probe into the racket, in which the accused were selling fake ration cards for Rs 8,000 each, is underway. The accused were identified as ration card agents Irfan Ali Ansari and Sanjay Bodhe and ration shop owner Naushad Rai Ahmed Sheikh, the official told PTI.

Meanwhile, three persons were sentenced till "rising of the court" for assaulting a traffic police constable 12 years ago in Thane city. Rising of the court is a term which means the guilty are detained in a courtroom till proceedings of the day conclude after which they are released, reported PTI.

Sessions Judge Rachna Tehra also fined Trilokinath Choubey (53), Anand Choubey (49) and Krishna Kudil (79) Rs 5000 each in her order of September 6, details of which were made available now. The three had assaulted constable Prabhakar Patil on November 8, 2011 after he stopped their tempo for alleged speeding, said additional public prosecutor Sandhya Mhatre, reported PTI.

Earlier, the police in Maharashtra's Thane city have launched an investigation after a silver idol of Lord Ganesha, many sacred symbols and cash were stolen from a temple, an official told PTI on Saturday.

The theft was committed at the Jai Bholenath temple in Naupada locality on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, the police told PTI.

A silver Ganesha idol weighing 7 kg, a 'trishul' (trident), a metal snake, copper vessels, a table fan and cash were stolen from the shrine, the official from Naupada police station told PTI.

No arrests have been made yet, he said, adding that an investigation is underway.

(With inputs from PTI)