Three members of the Arun Gawli gang were arrested by the Pune rural police local crime branch (LCB), in a case of extortion, on Wednesday. The three were identified as Mobin Mehmood Mujawar, a resident of Dagdi chawl where Gawli used to live; Suraj Rajesh Yadav, a resident of Vadgaon Peer in Ambegaon; and Bala Sudam Pathare, a resident of Chandannagar in Pune. The three were remanded in police custody till April 23 by a local court.
According to LCB officials, the three were identified as close aides of Gawli, who was arrested in 2008 and convicted in 2010 by a special Maharashtra control of organised crime act (MCOCA) court for the murder of Kamlakar Jamsandekar, a Shiv Sena member and corporator from Mumbai.
Among the arrested, Mujawar was found to be the nephew and close aide of Asha Gawli, Arun Gawli's wife. Yadav works at Asha Gawli's farmhouse in Vadgaon Peer area of Pune and is a close friend of Mobin. Pathare is the youth representative of the Akhil Bharatiya Sena, a political party established by Gawli, according to police inspector Dayanand Gawade of LCB. The police are on a lookout for two other people, including a woman, in the case.
The case of extortion was filed based on a complaint lodged by a businessman who owns business in Manchar. Mujawar and Yadav called the businessman and threatened to kill him unless he paid ₹5 lakh. The complainant refused to pay heed to their threats which prompted them to repeatedly call him and send a message through one of the complaiant's employees. That is when Pathare threatened him at his shop in Wagjoli area of Pune. Pathare also forced him to speak with a woman, who is currently on the run, who repeatedly asked him to pay the money.
{{/usCountry}}The case of extortion was filed based on a complaint lodged by a businessman who owns business in Manchar. Mujawar and Yadav called the businessman and threatened to kill him unless he paid ₹5 lakh. The complainant refused to pay heed to their threats which prompted them to repeatedly call him and send a message through one of the complaiant's employees. That is when Pathare threatened him at his shop in Wagjoli area of Pune. Pathare also forced him to speak with a woman, who is currently on the run, who repeatedly asked him to pay the money.
{{/usCountry}}Subsequently, a case under Sections 385, 387, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against five people at Manchar police station. Suvez Haque, superintendent of Pune rural police, handed the investigation over to LCB, according to PI Gawade.