The Thane Consumer Forum has filed a complaint with the Director General of Police, Maharashtra against the Commissioner of Police, Pune, for failing to arrest two Thane-based builders, Gajanan Mahadik and Ravindra Mahadik who at present are residing in Pune.

The father-and-son duo had sold a plot to the complainant and had undertaken to develop it but failed to do so. On February 21, 1995, the consumer forum passed an order against Ravindra Mahadik asking him to pay back Rs 2,20,925 with 18 per cent interest from July 1, '91 till realisation. It also passed an order against Ravindra and Gajanan Mahadik asking both to pay Rs 2,38,000 from December 1, '91 till the date of realisation.

After the forum passed the order, the duo absconded from the city and were later traced to Pune. The Pune police issued the first arrest warrant on March 16, '98 and the second on May 13, '98, but on both occasions, the two did a vanishing act before the police arrived on the spot. OnJuly 27, '98 Ravindra Mahadik appeared in court, but the police failed to arrest him. On February '99, the forum passed a sentence of three years imprisonment against Gajanan Mahadik along with a fine of Rs 10,000. An arrest warrant was again issued on May 31, '99 but as in the earlier cases, the Pune police said the two had left for Mumbai.

Theft at Chembur

Four unidentified men stole Rs 1.25 lakh from a residence in Chembur on Sunday morning. Chembur police say the armed quartet gained entry to the Rama Aiyyer residence and threatened the family. Then they decamped with cash and ornaments worth over Rs 1,24,500. A case of robbery and assault has been registered.