The murder of former matka (gambling) operator Ramesh Reddy in the Dehu Road area near Pimpri-Chinchwad on Tuesday evening was allegedly the fallout of a long-standing rivalry involving Sabir Sheikh and his associates, with police linking the motive to Reddy’s opposition to bail pleas in an earlier organised crime and murder case.
According to investigators, Reddy had been actively opposing the bail applications of Sheikh and others who were booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in connection with the murder of his brother, John alias Vikram Reddy. Police believe this opposition further escalated tensions between the rival groups.
Officials from Dehu Road police station said, “So far, we have booked Lakhan Agale, Aftab Sammer Shaikh, Arman Sheikh, and five to seven other accused in the case. A search operation to trace the accused is underway.”
Police have also detained two suspects, and further interrogation is in progress.
Investigators suspect the murder was a retaliatory attack driven by the continuing enmity between the groups.
Police sources said the case points to a continuing cycle of violence involving the same criminal network. Reddy’s brother was murdered in 2025, following which MCOCA was invoked against the accused, indicating the alleged involvement of an organised crime syndicate.
Under MCOCA, bail provisions are stringent and courts grant relief only under strict conditions, often resulting in prolonged custody for the accused. Investigators believe this legal pressure may have further deepened hostility between the rival factions.
{{/usCountry}}Under MCOCA, bail provisions are stringent and courts grant relief only under strict conditions, often resulting in prolonged custody for the accused. Investigators believe this legal pressure may have further deepened hostility between the rival factions.
{{/usCountry}}