Thane police bust pirated cellphone battery racket

Thane: The Thane crime branch sealed a factory in Bhiwandi on Tuesday and arrested six people in connection with a fake cell phone battery manufacturing racket. Cops also intercepted a car carrying pirated batteries worth 1.11 crore. The stock was to be delivered to shopkeepers in Manish Market in south Mumbai, said the police.

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The arrested accused have been identified as Rakesh Jain, Abhishek Jain, Momin Surjil, Imran Ansari, Bharatkumar Jain and Dilip More. Rakesh (32) is said be the brain behind the racket. The gang manufactured fake batteries of cell phone giants such as Nokia, LG and Tata Indicom and sold them in the market as originals, reports Times of India. Sleuths have seized machinery, dry cells and holograms of various mobile companies from the Bhiwandi factory.

Additional commissioner of police (crime) Prashat Burde said that this was a first-of-its kind police operation where the manufacturing den of pirated batteries was raided. "We received a tip off that a consignment of pirated batteries would be transported from the Kharegaon toll post. Officials keeping vigil in the area spotted the car and intercepted it. Bharatkumar and More were arrested. The duo spilled the beans on their other associates," said Burde.

"The arrested accused have admitted to selling more than three to four lakh fake batteries. The manufacturing costs of a counterfeit battery is between 23 to 25. Jain has said that he used to sell the batteries for 35," said Burde.