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AI Joins the Force: Maharashtra Police Deploys ‘Crime-OS’ for Smarter Investigations

By Dheeraj Fartode  Imagine a police officer uploads an FIR and within seconds, an AI assistant begins planning the investigation. It write official letters, scan bank data and spot suspicious transactions. It sounds like science fiction - but it’s now reality in Maharashtra. The state police have started using Crime-OS, a powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool developed under the MARVEL project (Maharashtra Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement). This tool, built in partnership with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Nagpur, works like the co-pilot feature in Microsoft Office - but to solve crimes. It helps police save valuable time and reduces the heavy workload of investigations. Assistant Superitendent of Police (ASP) Deepak Agrawal explained that police investigations usually take a lot of time and effort. Crime-OS is designed to ease that burden. “For example, if a fraud case FIR is uploaded, the tool automatically picks out important information. It t...

ED probing money trail in multi-crore Metrovision scam

Enforcement Directorate ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has procured documents related to multi-crore Metrovision Buildcon Company scam from the City police and started investigation. The agency is probing the money laundering angle in the case, sources claimed.  
The First Information Report (FIR) in the case was registered in November last year after which DCP (Zone I) Nurool Hasan had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The police have arrested 16 fraudsters so far for duping more than 6,000 investors across the country.
Sources in ED informed that a copy of FIR and other documents related to the scam were procured for the probe. The focus of the ED would be on the money laundering angle. After examining the money trail, the ED would also investigate whether the money was routed to any foreign countries or shell companies.
A police official informed that 16 accused were arrested by the SIT and recovered cash of over Rs three crore from the accused persons. Mastermind Vijay Ramdas Gurnule (39), Sunil alias Sonu Gajanan Shrikhande (28), Ashok Gangadhar Dupare (39); Gyaneshwar Bawne, Jeevan Das Anandrao Dandare (52), Ramesh Suraj Lal Bisen (38), Atul Yuvraj Meshram (29), Avinash Mahadevrao Mahadole (38), Raju Nagorao Mohurle (48), Shrikant Keshav Nikure (24), Devendra Bhimrao Gajbhiye (34), Vikram Laxman Nayak and others have been arrested so far by the SIT.
The police have recovered Rs 11.22 lakh from Shrikhande; Rs 48 lakh from Amravati relative of Gurnule; Rs seven lakh from primary teacher Tanmay Jadhav; Rs 13 lakh from advisor of the company Dupare; Rs 68.79 lakh cash from accused Shrikhande’s brother; Rs 12.86 lakh cash from Gurnule's house and so on.
The investigators are awaiting for the forensic audit of the transactions documented in the Money Trade software of the company. The report is expected to come next month after which the police would raid houses of the beneficiaries.  
It may be mentioned that the company was charging Rs 3,000/- to each investor to allot an identification (ID) in the company’s software. The profit was given to the customers on his IDs.
Mastermind Gurnule was also opening a lucky draw every month at a three star hotel in Nagpur. He was used to gift cars, bikes, computers, laptops, smart TVs, fridges, washing machines and expensive items to those who had invested in his schemes. This was the modus operandi of the scamsters to attract more investors in the company. Vijay Gurnule and Devendra Gajbhiye's multi-level marketing fund was so popular that they managed to spread their network across the country. The company had defrauded more than 6,000 investors across the country by promising huge returns.


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