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Gangsters behind bars as Pune police crackdown on organised crime continues
After the arrest of Gajanan Marne alias Maharaj, the city police have lodged as many as eight criminal cases against him. Earlier, there were 23 cases lodged against him at different police stations, the crime branch stated
The Pune police seem to be in action mode and the crime branch is going ahead with no tolerance policy towards hardened gangsters operating in the city.
After the arrest of Gajanan Marne alias Maharaj, the city police have lodged as many as eight criminal cases against him. Earlier, there were 23 cases lodged against him at different police stations, the crime branch stated.
Meanwhile, the Pune rural police have arrested gangster Nilesh Bansilal Ghaywal (44) from Sonegaon in Jamkhed tehsil of Ahmednagar district and lodged him in Yerawada prison for one year under the MPDA Act.
The action was taken jointly by the local crime branch and Bhigwan police on March 2. According to the rural police, the action has been taken to prevent the gangster from spreading fear among citizens. Rural SP Abhinav Deshmukh recommended district collector Rajesh Deshmukh to extern the gangster for a period of one year and thereafter the action was taken. The crime branch has also booked gangster Sachin Pote in connection with a firing case in Mundhwa.
The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) had acquitted Marne (54) and his 13 aides in connection with the murder of rival gang member Santosh Hiraman Gawade alias Pappu citing lack of evidence.
Earlier, the court had acquitted 21 Marne aides in the murder of another rival gang member identified as Amol Hari Badhe. Both Gawade and Badhe were affiliated to Marne’s rival Nilesh Ghaywal gang. While Gawade was gunned down on November 4, 2014, Badhe was murdered on November 29, 2014.
On Feb 16, the supporters of the gangster after being released from Taloja jail took out a huge procession from Taloja to Pune via Mumbai-Pune Expressway where a convoy of 500 cars joined the procession which was shot on a drone and its videos went viral on social media.
The convoy proceeded ahead without paying tax and the event was shot live by the supporters who burst crackers enroute to welcome the acquittal by a Pune sessions court. The city police had lodged a case against Marne at Hinjewadi police station for taking out the procession in violation of the law. Meanwhile, a Pune court on March 4 rejected Marne and his aides’ bail application on grounds of disobedience to the law. The police even seized drones from his supporters and inquired whether prior permission was taken for flying the drones.
On March 3, the Khadak police arrested local gangster Suraykant alias Bandu Anna Andekar (60) and his aide in connection with an attempt to murder case after a complaint was lodged against them by Omkar Gajanan Kudle (21).
According to the police, members of the Andekar gang including Rishabh Devdatta Andekar (21) allegedly attacked Kudle with sharp weapons around 9 pm on February 21. Police stated that Andekar gang believed that their “rivals” Kudle and Suraj Thombre were a threat to their supremacy in the area and they allegedly attacked Kudle after orders from gang leader Bandu Andekar.
It may be recalled that former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar during his address to the city police had reprimanded the department for its inaction against the gangster. He said that the police must have ‘vachak’ (control) over goons and not common citizens.
“Commoners must feel confident and secure if they go to the police. We will strengthen the police force by boosting infrastructure and additional recruitment of personnel, but the police must take care that they come up to the expectations of the common citizens. Pawar was addressing a gathering of police personnel during the recovered stolen ornaments return programme for citizens organized by Pune police at Shivajinagar headquarters.
Additional commissioner of police (crime ) Ashok Morale said, “We are taking strict action against all gangsters and different gangs in Pune are under our radar. The city police have adopted no tolerance for such types of criminals. The net is being cast wider against criminals and gangsters in the city.”
Ghaywal arrested and booked
The Pune police arrested gangster Nilesh Ghaywal and eight of his henchmen in connection with forcibly whisking away a four wheeler for a rally. They have been booked under IPC 395,294 (b), 109, 506 (2), 504, Maharashtra Police Act 37(1) in a separate FIR lodged at Kothrud Police Station. In addition, the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) has been invoked against Ghaywal and he was arrested on March 9.
