The Ulhasnagar Crime Detection Branch arrested a gang of five robbers, including Rajesh alias Raju Hatankar, a sharpshooter and one-time close aide of gangster Abu Salem.
The five were allegedly behind a robbery at a teacher's house in Vitthalwadi area of Ulhasnagar in 2005. Robbers had held the family at gunpoint and decamped with cash and valuables worth Rs 5.03 lakh.
Sambhaji Pawar — a renowned Badlapur developer — was also among those arrested. The police seized a country-made revolver, cash and valuables worth Rs 5.78 lakh.
Inspector JD More of Ulhasnagar Crime Detection Branch said Thakur was arrested in another robbery case by the Kashmira police in Mumbai three months ago, and confessed about the Vitthalwadi robbery. The Ulhasnagar Crime Detection Branch on Tuesday arrested Thakur, who was out on bail, in New Delhi.
Thakur allegedly named his accomplices as Hatankar, Ravindra Malik, Dilip Sardar, and Pawar. More said five murder cases and seven extortion and robbery cases were registered against Hatankar in various police stations.