Drug addict caught while stealing fans from court

Heating up things for cops and lawyers, a 22-year-old drug addict was arrested by the Colaba police for stealing fans and electronic equipment from the City Civil and Sessions Court at Fort. Shortly before being nabbed, Shamsher Ali Laik Ali, a footpath dweller at Kala Ghoda, was fleeing with a fan from court room 44, which, coincidentally, deals with narcotics cases.u00a0

The ‘Fan'tom: Shamsher Ali Laik Ali, a footpath dweller from Kala Ghoda, used to steal fans from the cabins of judges and courtrooms and sell them. File Pic

According to police, they received a tip-off on Saturday evening, that Ali was stealing fans in the dead of night. Cops had received several complaints from court employees about the thefts and had begun investigating the case.

On Saturday, Colaba police received a call from a court employee identified only as Sonawane, who told them that somebody had entered the court and was stealing things from inside. Police immediately swung into action. "When we reached the scene, the accused was trying to steal a fan from court room no. 44, inside the judge's cabin. He had entered the room by breaking the iron bars of the windows," said an officer from Colaba police station.

The police immediately caught hold of the accused and during interrogations learnt that his name was Shamsher Ali Laik Ali, a drug addict. "Shamsher used to steal fans from the cabins of judges and courtrooms and sell them," said the police officer.

The police have got custody of Ali till July 24 and are investigating the matter. When contacted, Judge Bohari said, "I am aware of the theft but cannot discuss it."u00a0