Pradip had returned to Mumbai after serving three years in jail after a drug bust by the Nashik Railway police. However he was arrested again for stealing a bag belonging to a passenger of the Chennai Express. The passenger, one Balmukund Singhal, a businessman, was returning from Tirupati. At 5:30 when Singhal was fast asleep, Pradip allegedly stole his bag which contained some clothes, Rs 900 , a silver clock, an ICICI cheque, a HDFC cheque book and some deposit receipts from the bank with Singhal’s signature.

Pradip then went to the HDFC branch at Dadar TT and withdrew Rs 25,000 by forging Singhal’s signature. He then went to the branches in Mahalaxmi and Opera House but those cheques bounced as Singhal had blocked his account by then. Pradip was finally arrested when he went to the LT Ruparel branch in Malabar Hill to deposit a cheque. The assistant manager noticed that the account had been just blocked. He immediately called Singhal who brought the police.

The Malabar hill police have filed a case of forgery and theft against Pradip. He will be in police custody till January 9. The police are also searching for someone called Shiva who may be an accomplice to Pradip.