Mira-Bhayandar: Nearly two months after they were arrested by the crime branch unit (Zone III) while planning an armed dacoity at a petrol pump in Virar, the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police slapped additional charges against six members of the gang under the provisions of the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for their bid to unleash terror in the region.
The accused who have been identified as the kingpin Manish Mohan Chavhan alias Raju and his accomplices- Bhausaheb Shankar Gawli, Ravindra Singh Sukhram Solanki, Sukhchain Rewat Pawar, Nandu Chavhan alias Monty and a woman-Ashwini Roopchand Chavhan were arrested in the first week of January, this year.
Natives of Ahmednagar, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Guna (Madhya Pradesh), the accused turned out to be members of an interstate “Pardhi” gang involved in a series of armed robberies and other serious crimes.
Cars, Cash & Gold Ornaments Seized
Apart from impounding a Scorpio jeep and auto-rickshaw, the police had recovered an iron sickle, knife, nylon ropes, chilli powder, battery-powered torches, cash and gold ornaments-all worth more than Rs. 10 lakh from the possession of the gang members. Investigations had confirmed their involvement in seven serious offences.
Notably, the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan police had announced rewards for providing the whereabouts of Sukhchain Rewat Pawar and Ravindrasingh Solanki as they were absconding after committing crimes in 2018. A proposal seeking permission to invoke MCOCA was tabled before the additional police commissioner- Shrikant Pathak on 29, February. After an official nod from Pathak, the gang members were charged under the relevant sections of the MCOCA.
