Arrested Film City gangster booked under MCOCA

Shiva Ramanna Shetty, 42, a gangster with a criminal network in Film City, Goregaon, was recently booked by the Aarey police under the stringent provisions of the

Shiva Ramanna Shetty, 42, a gangster with a criminal network in Film City, Goregaon, was recently booked by the Aarey police under the stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999, a law introduced to deal primarily with members of the city’s underworld.

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According to the police, Shetty allegedly runs a business of erecting sets at Film City.

He also reportedly heads a gang which extorts other contractors and beats up rivals, to ensure a monopoly over the business.

According to the Aarey police, Shetty has over 10 serious criminal cases of robbery, extortion, rioting, attempt to murder and body offences registered against him in Aarey, Borivli, and MHB police stations.

In July, the accused and his gang were booked for extortion, rioting and attempt to murder at Film City and are still in jail.

Police then studied Shetty’s criminal record and sent a proposal to Dilip Sawant, additional commissioner, north region, to charge him under the MCOCA.

Sawant confirmed that the proposal was accepted last week.

Shetty and members of his gang, including aides Sagar Patil and Arshad Ali Shaikh, were booked under section 3 (punishment for organised crime) of the MCOCA.

Four unknown accused are also wanted in the case.

“Anyone who runs a gang and commits pecuniary crimes repeatedly can be booked under MCOCA. Shetty’s criminal history met with all the requirements needed to apply the stringent Act. We will submit a charge sheet against him in the special MCOCA court,” said a police officer, on condition of anonymity.