Pune Crime: 63-Year-Old Man Arrested for Drugging Bus Passengers and Stealing Gold Jewellery Worth ₹1.40 Lakh

Swargate Police Arrest Accused After Investigation

Pune: The Swargate Police have arrested a 63-year-old man accused of targeting passengers travelling on buses by allegedly drugging them and stealing their gold jewellery.

According to a press release issued by Swargate Police Station on October 27, 2026, the accused has been identified as Babu Bhure Khan, a resident of Rinijagao village in Sitamau tehsil of Mandsaur district, Madhya Pradesh.

The case was registered after a passenger complained that his father had been robbed while travelling from Borivali to Swargate on a Shivshahi ST bus on August 20, 2026.

Passenger Allegedly Drugged During Bus Journey

According to the complaint, a man who introduced himself as Sanjay Agarwal allegedly befriended the complainant's father during the journey.

The suspect was described as having a dark complexion, being approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall and wearing a black-and-white checked shirt.

Police said the accused allegedly gave the passenger a substance containing a tablet, identified as Alprax 0.5, causing him to become unconscious. He then allegedly stole a gold ring weighing approximately 10 grams from the passenger's right hand without his consent.

Following the complaint, Swargate Police registered a case under Sections 123 and 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Technical Analysis Helps Police Trace the Accused

Senior Police Inspector Yashwant Nikam and the Swargate Police investigation team were directed to trace the accused and solve the case.

During the investigation, police examined CCTV footage from the bus and used technical analysis along with information from confidential sources to identify the suspect.

Investigators reportedly established that the accused was Babu Bhure Khan, who was subsequently traced to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. With assistance from Mahakal Police, he was apprehended and taken into custody.

Police Link Accused to Three Cases

During questioning, police found that the accused was allegedly involved in three cases registered in different locations.

These included a case registered at Ramtek Police Station in Nagpur on September 1, 2026, and another at Dwarka Police Station in Gujarat. The cases involve allegations related to theft, cheating and other offences.

Police also recovered a gold necklace weighing approximately one tola, valued at ₹1.40 lakh, in connection with the investigation into the Swargate case.

Alprax Tablets Recovered

Police said the accused was allegedly using Alprax 0.5 tablets to incapacitate passengers before stealing their belongings.

During the operation, investigators recovered two packets containing 15 tablets each bearing the name Alprax 0.5.

The recovery is part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged method used to target passengers during bus journeys.

Senior Officers Supervised the Operation

The operation was carried out under the guidance of senior Pune Police officers, including Additional Commissioner of Police Rajesh Bansode, Deputy Commissioner of Police Milind Mohite and Assistant Commissioner of Police Gajanan Pawar.

The investigation was conducted by officers and personnel attached to Swargate Police Station.

Police are continuing their investigation into the cases linked to the accused.

Safety Advisory for Bus Passengers

The case highlights the importance of caution when accepting food, drinks or tablets from unknown people during bus journeys.

Passengers should avoid consuming substances offered by strangers and immediately alert the conductor, fellow passengers or police if they feel unwell or notice suspicious behaviour.