Shiv Sena man held for stealing former employer's car 7 years ago

Officers from the Navghar police station in Bhayander arrested a Sena vibhag pramukh (area chief) on Tuesday for stealing his former employer's car in 2009. The culprit was identified as Praful Shirsat. Before becoming the vibhag pramukh, Shirsat worked as a driver for Advocate Sadhna Patil.

Praful Shirsat

Shirsat stole Patil's Innova car in 2009 while the lawyer was out of town. Later, to avoid suspicion, he called her upfront to check whether she had taken the car along. When their efforts to trace the vehicle failed, the Patils filed a police complaint. However, the case was closed after the cops failed to find leads in the case.

Though Shirsat managed to keep suspicion at bay for seven years, his luck ran out after one of Patil's friends spotted him roaming around in a car resembling the one that was stolen in 2009 and immediately informed the lawyer about it. Without wasting time, Patil approached the Navghar police with the FIR copy of her previous complaint, following which her case was reopened.

But the cops were baffled to learn that the car Shirsat was spotted in was registered in the name of a Thane-based businessman. All their doubts were laid to rest when they visited the businessman's Thane residence and found a car with a similar registration number parked outside his house. Cross verification with the RTO sealed Shirsat's fate.