By MIRA ROAD, MUMBAI — The Mumbai Division of Western Railway on Sunday said that its railway cops have busted an alleged ‘posters gang’ active in Mumbai local trains and seized 42,000 stickers from them. The breakthrough happened on Sunday, January 25, 2026, when a special task force of the Western Railway’s Mumbai Division acted on a confidential tip-off. A special team formed by Senior Divisional Security Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh Rathod and led by Sub-Inspector Santosh Soni carried out a coordinated raid at a hideout in the Kashimira area of Mira Road, leading to the arrest of the alleged gang leader and four of his accomplices. The team, which also included Assistant Sub-Inspector Vivekanand Mali and several head constables, recovered a staggering 42,000 stickers from the location. These stickers were ready to be illegally pasted inside local trains across both the Western and Central lines.
Who is Behind the Racket?
The primary suspect has been identified as Baba Riaz Chaudhary, popularly known in the underworld as “Akram Baba.” He was arrested along with his close associate Salim Baba, also known as “Sallu.” The police also detained three other members of the group: Irshad Chauhan, Mohammad Shoaib, and Mohammad Shakir.
According to police sources, this gang specialized in advertising for so-called “tantriks” or “babas” who promise to solve personal problems, offer medical cures, or provide quick loans. These posters often target vulnerable commuters by using bold claims and misleading information. The scale of the seizure suggests that this was not a small-time operation but a well-organized business that treated defacing public property as a daily routine.
Legal Action and the Road Ahead
Following the raid, all 42,000 seized posters were documented and handed over to the Bhayandar Police Station for further legal proceedings. The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Railways Act, which prohibits the unauthorized display of advertisements and the defacement of railway property.
The RPF has stated that this arrest is part of a larger, ongoing campaign to keep Mumbai’s trains clean. In the past month alone, nearly 30 individuals have been arrested for similar activities, and over 50,000 posters have been confiscated in various drives across the city. Railway officials are now using a mix of technology like checking CCTV footage at terminal stations and ground intelligence to catch these offenders in the act.
Western Railway’s Mumbai Division busted a ‘posters gang’ involved in illegally pasting advertisements inside local trains, seizing 42,000 stickers during a raid in Mira Road. Five accused were arrested under the Railways Act for defacing railway property. Officials said the crackdown is part of an ongoing drive to keep Mumbai’s suburban trains clean, with increased CCTV monitoring and enforcement actions.
