Nashik arms haul: Police consider invoking MCOCA against main accused

The Mumbai crime branch are contemplating invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999 against the main accused in the Nashik

The Mumbai crime branch are contemplating invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999 against the main accused in the Nashik arms haul case. His father is also likely to be booked under the act. The duo have been booked for extorting a local businessman in RAK Marg, and have around 20 past criminal cases registered against them.

On December 15, acting on a tip-off, the Nashik rural police had seized a large quantity of arms near Chandwad toll naka on Agra-Mumbai highway and arrested three men including Badshah. (HT File)

The accused have been identified as 52-year-old man Akhbar Pasha, and his 27-year-old son, Badrinujam Badshah alias Sumit alias Suka.

The most recent case against them was registered on December 22 at the RAK Marg police station for extorting Rs5 lakh from a businessman.

The Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch, which is investigating the case, is seeking legal counsel to find out whether the MCOCA is applicable for the case.

Pasha has 12 past criminal cases, including cases of assault, arms act, and extortion, registered against him at the RAK Marg police station, from where he was externed in the past. A number of cases are also registered against him at the Bhoiwada police station and Wadala TT police station. Besides these, he also cases against him in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. So far, the AEC has information about 18 criminal cases against Pasha.

Pasha’s son Badshah has more than 20 cases registered against him at the RAK Marg, Bhoiwada, Wadala TT and Mulund police stations. The police said the father-son duo took the extortion route in a bid to fend money to fight the pending court cases against them.

On December 15, acting on a tip-off, the Nashik rural police had seized a large quantity of arms near Chandwad toll naka on Agra-Mumbai highway and arrested three men including Badshah.

The seizure included 25 rifles, one machine gun, 19 revolvers and 4,166 live cartridges. This is the largest arms seizure in Maharashtra since the arms haul in Aurangabad in 2006.