In a resolute move to combat organized crime and maintain law and order in the city, Pune Police Commissioner Retesh Kumaarr has issued orders to invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) against a notorious gang operating in the Yerwada area. This bold action marks the 58th instance where MCOCA has been applied against gangsters in Pune, reflecting the Police Commissioner’s unwavering commitment to curbing criminal activities in the region.
At the center of this crackdown is a gang led by Hussain alias Sonya Yunus Sheikh. Alongside him, Wasim Hyder Ali Bhogle, aged 22, and Amir alias Shankya Yunus Sheikh, aged 18, both residents of Laxminagar, Yerwada, have been identified as key members. Presently, Hussain and three of his associates remain at large, while Wasim Bhogle and Amir Shaikh have been apprehended by law enforcement.
The gang’s nefarious activities came to the forefront when Hussain Shaikh and his accomplice, Rupesh Rajguru, demanded an extortion payment of Rs 1 lakh from a resident to settle an old dispute in the Irani Market area of Yerwada. When the victim refused to comply with their demands, the accused resorted to a brutal attack.
The charges against the gang leader, Sheikh, and his associates are grave and include attempted murder, obstruction of government work, burglary, and causing injury.
The decision to take legal action against this gang was meticulously prepared by Senior Police Inspector Balkrishna Kadam of Yerwada Police Station, with oversight from Crime Branch Inspector Kanchan Jadhav.
Additional Commissioner Ranjan Kumar Sharma and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Shashikant Borate have duly verified the proposal, ensuring its adherence to legal protocols. The investigation into this case is being led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sanjay Patil.
