Love of snooker lands criminal in police’s net

After dodging the police for more than 10 months, wanted criminal Aftab Anjum Patel (26) on Friday night landed in the Kashimira police’s net. According to police sources, it was Patel’s passion for snooker that eventually led his downfall.

Patel was arrested by a police team at a pool parlour near ST bus depot in Vasai. Patel has 11 serious offences, including attempt to murder, land grab, illegal possession of arms and trespassing, registered against him at local police stations in the Mira Road division of the Thane (rural) police. He has also been booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (Mcoca).

Patel was evading the police since February this year after he and his alleged associates — Anjum Patel (49), Aman Anjum Patel (19), Hashir Tatya Patel (19) and Danish Qureshi — were accused of orchestrating an assault on a local resident, Pesh Nawaz Khan (27), in Kashimira. In the light of their criminal history and fresh evidence of involvement in organised criminal activities, the stringent Mcoca was invoked by the police against Patel.