12 February,2014 07:42 AM IST | | Sagar Rajput
Powai police got custody of an accused, who along with two other men, robbed valuables worth Rs 4 lakh from Customs colony; the three had targeted several houses in the city and around the country
A notorious gang of housebreakers has been going around the country, robbing apartments of valuables. The Powai police got custody of one member of the gang, who was nabbed by the Pune police last week. The accused, 41-year-old Mushtaq Sherkhan, used to operate in a gang with two other men Nadeem Qureshi (40), the gang leader and Siriya alias Ajay, the driver.
CCTV grabs showing Nadeem Qureshi (circled) and Mushtaq Sherkhan at Customs colony, Powai
The trio, who met in Meerut jail, had been going around the city and other parts of the country, robbing several flats. On November 21, 2013, the three broke in to a house in Kalwa at 12 pm. At 3 pm, they moved to Powai and in the evening, targeted a flat in Pune.
Mushtaq Sherkhan was given Rs 3 lakh to assist in the robberies, which he spent on his sister's wedding
Smartly dressed
"The three would travel by a car driven by Siriya till the target building. He would wait outside, while Qureshi and Sherkhan, dressed in formal clothes or suits, would go up to the flats. Seeing such well-dressed people, the watchman would not ask any questions. After entering the premises, the two would hunt for locked doors, starting from the top-most floor of the building," said an officer from Powai police station.
According to a case registered with the Powai police, the duo robbed valuables worth Rs 4 lakh from Customs colony in Powai. The theft was discovered by a neighbour who saw the unlocked door. He initially thought the victim, who had gone out of town, had returned. Only later did he realise that the house had been robbed.
Serial offenders
The officer further informed that Sherkhan has about 12 cases registered against him. The absconding duo has more than 25 cases against them. "All valuables are in possession of the mastermind Qureshi. Sherkhan was given Rs 3 lakh for the support he lent in the operations. He spent the money on his sister's wedding," added the officer.
Sherkhan was nabbed after the Pune police received a tip-off that led them to Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. A team got hold of him from there and brought him to Pune last week. He was handed over to the Powai police yesterday.
The Powai police have booked the three accused under sections 454 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking in order to commit offence), 380 (theft in dwelling, house) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
Rs 4 lakh
Worth of valuables robbed from Customs colony in Powai
CCTV grabs showing Nadeem Qureshi (circled) and Mushtaq Sherkhan at Customs colony, Powai
Mushtaq Sherkhan was given Rs 3 lakh to assist in the robberies, which he spent on his sister's wedding
