Police probe corporator link in case of a Pajero car stolen from Juhu in 2013

The Juhu police, which has cracked a 2013 theft case of a Pajero car, which was stolen from Juhu area is now probing the role of a sitting corporator from eastern suburbs of Mumbai, whose close relative was using the car lately. The Juhu police refused to identify the corporator, but said it was investigating the case to see if she is involved in the crime.

The car belongs to senior high court lawyer Mukesh Manubhai Vashi (56) whose father Manubhai Vashi was a noted HC lawyer known for taking up causes that concerned the profession. Mr Vashi, a Juhu resident, had registered an FIR with the Juhu police when the car got stolen from below his building on the 10th road in Juhu. He never heard from the Juhu police again about it. The 56-year-old was on his way home from high court on Friday evening around 5.10 pm when he saw his Pajero car with the same registration number. The car was parked outside the HC. He called up the police control room and a team of Azad Maidan police rushed to the spot.

A team in plain clothes was stationed at the spot and a person wearing heavy gold ornaments opened the car’s door. When confronted the person said he owns the car and showed a registration certificate (RC) book. However, the RC book had Vashi’s name and photo on it. He pleaded innocence saying he bought the car from someone in Bangalore for '7 lakh and had no idea it was stolen. It is learnt that the person claiming ownership of the car is related to a sitting corporator.

Apart from the said person, two more have been placed under arrest. The Azad Maidan police transferred the case to Juhu police. All the accused are in police custody. Senior police inspector Sunil Ghosalkar of Juhu police station confirmed that they have received the FIR from Azad Maidan police, adding detection officer Shrinivas Chevle is probing it. Mr Chevle confirmed the arrests, but refused any further details.