Hello Mumbai City Desk
- Nagpada Police Use Instagram to Crack 3-Year-Old Scooter Theft Case; One Arrested
MUMBAI — March 24, 2026 — The Nagpada Police successfully solved a three-year-old motor vehicle theft case by leveraging social media forensics. The breakthrough occurred during the investigation of a recent theft, where a photograph on the accused’s Instagram profile led officers to a stolen scooter from 2021.
Case Background
On September 16, 2021, an Activa scooter (valued at ₹20,000) was reported stolen from K.K. Road, Mumbai Central. An FIR was registered at Nagpada Police Station under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unknown persons. Despite ongoing efforts at the time, the vehicle remained missing.
The case was reopened following the arrest of Bhavar Laxman Singh (32), a resident of Kamathipura, in connection with a separate recent theft (C.R. No. 144/26 under BNS Section 303).
While analyzing the digital footprint of the accused, PSI Dnyaneshwar Shendge and his team scrutinized Singh’s Instagram ID. They discovered a post featuring Singh posing on a motor scooter.
Key Investigation Steps:
- Digital Tracking: Officers extracted the registration number from the Instagram photo and ran it through the E-Challan system.
- Verification: The system identified the original owner, who confirmed that his vehicle had been stolen in 2021 and was the subject of Nagpada PS C.R. No. 780/21.
- Confession & Recovery: During sustained interrogation, the accused admitted to the 2021 theft. Following his confession, the police successfully recovered the stolen Activa scooter.
Legal Status
The Nagpada Police Produced the accused before the Metropolitan Court and got police Custody.
While Speaking with ‘Hello Mumbai News” Mr Pradeep Kale Senior Police Inspector of Nagpada Police Station Confirmed this this News,” we have registered C.R. No. 780/21 at Nagpada Police Station The arrested accused Bhavar Laxman Singh is habitual offender he has previously criminal record now the Court has sent him to Judicial Custody Our investigation is underway.we appreciate the great efforts of our determination team they tirelessly work hard and solved this Case,’
criminal record have obtained formal permission from the Honorable Court to take the 2021 case (C.R. No. 780/21) back under active investigation. The accused, who has a prior criminal record, remains in custody.
Detection Team Profile
The operation was successfully executed by the following officers of the Nagpada Crime Detection Team:
- PSI Dnyaneshwar Shendge
- PN 98582 / Tonde
- PC 090638 / Patil
- PC 110207 / Kadam
- PC 140046 / Pawar
- PC 110207 / Shelar
- PC 111996 / War
#MumbaiPolice #CrimeDetection #SocialMediaForensics #NagpadaPolice
