Pune: Recidivist Criminal Gang Faces MCOCA Action After Terrorising at Warje Chowk

Pune: A brazen act of violence rocked the Warje Chowk area, instilling fear and chaos as recidivist criminals launched a vicious attack on three individuals, fuelling tensions in the vicinity. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar swiftly responded to the incident, invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against Hemant alias Vicky Dharma Kale and his nine associates, marking the 17th MCOCA action under his tenure.

The harrowing incident unfolded on February 23, approximately around 12:30 p.m. in the Warje Chowk area. A case has been registered at the Warje Malwadi Police Station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 307, 324, 323, 506, 143, 144, 147, 148, 149, and 427, along with charges under the Arms Act, Criminal Law Amendment Act, and Maharashtra Police Act.

During the course of the investigation, authorities apprehended several members of the criminal gang, including Hemant alias Vicky Dharma Kale, Dhananjay alias Dhanaji Nagnath Suryavanshi, Yuvraj Dharma Kale, Akshash alias Avadhoot Mahesh Yadav, Kundan alias Sonya Shivaji Gaikwad, and Sanjay alias Babu Vikas Chavan. However, efforts to locate one accused, along with three minor accomplices, are currently underway.

The gang leader, Hemant alias Vicky Kale, stands accused of heinous crimes ranging from murder, attempted murder, grievous hurt, vandalism, possession of illegal arms, to kidnapping and forcible theft, all aimed at spreading terror and disruption within the community. Despite prior preventive actions taken against the accused, they persistently engaged in criminal activities, necessitating stringent legal measures.

Consequently, a proposal to invoke Sections 3(1)(ii), 3(2), and 3(4) of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999, in the case registered at the Warje Malwadi Police Station, was presented to the Additional Commissioner of Police, Western Regional Division, Pravin Kumar Patil. Following meticulous scrutiny, the Additional Commissioner of Police sanctioned the inclusion of the offence under MCOCA against the accused. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Bhimrao Tele, is conducting further investigation.

This action was carried out by the team of Senior Police Inspector Manoj Shedge, Sub-Inspector Mandar Shinde of Vigilance Squad, Police Constables Atul Bhingardive, Ramdas Gonate, Govind Phad, Kiran Talekar, Vijay Khilari, and Nitin Katurde, under the guidance of Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police Pravin Pawar, Additional Commissioner of Police Western Regional Division Pravin Kumar Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Bhimrao Tele.