Crime branch gets into act to trace SUV of Shinde's kin

Mumbai, Feb 16: With nearly 3000 vehicle thefts and recovery rate of less than 20 percent, the case of tracing the SUV belonging to the son-in-law of Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde is a test case for the

crime branch. The crime branch usually investigates serious crimes like murder. But then Shinde is the home minister and former chief minister of

.

Shinde's son-in-law Raj Shoroff's vehicle was stolen by unidentified persons from Delisle Road area in central Mumbai. Raj Shroff, who is married to the home minister's daughter Preeti.

Special police teams have been formed to trace the Mitsubishi Pajero, which was parked near Bawala Compound by Shroffs chauffeur Vijay Kharat. The chauffeur is a resident of the Delisle Road area.

The Pajero seems to have been stolen on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, Sudhakar Ghagare, senior inspector at N M Joshi Marg police station, said. The SUVs are prime targets of thieves in big cities because of their cost but are also difficult to sell.

Kharat had parked the vehicle at 11.30 PM on Thursday. However, at 5 AM the next day, he could not spot it and lodged a complaint at the N M Joshi Marg police station after which an FIR was registered.

Three teams at the police station have been formed to trace the vehicle and the city police's crime branch, which usually probes serious offences, has begun a parallel investigation in this case.

Crime branch's unit III officials are focusing on the case while the vehicle's number was circulated among all other eleven units. The anti-motor vehicle theft unit is also working on the case.

OneIndia News