History-sheeter Vikrant Deshmukh alias Vicky involved in several kidnapping, murder, extortion, and dacoity crimes was arrested by the Goa police on Sunday night after specific information was provided by the crime branch of Navi Mumbai police.
Deshmukh was nabbed when he was trying to escape. Police also seized one country-made pistol and five live cartridges from him.
The accused was absconded after a murder case registered him in 2019 at Nerul police and he was wanted in several cases including extortion, kidnapping, murder, and dacoity registered against him at different police stations. Even the Navi Mumbai police had invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime (MCOCA) for his alleged involvement in a kidnapping and murder of a Nerul resident.
Based on the information provided by the Navi Mumbai crime branch, the North Goa police nabbed Deshmukh when he was trying to enter Majestic Pride Casino in Goa after a short chase in the wee hours of Sunday. Following his arrest, a case was also registered against Deshmukh under sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act.
According to an official from the crime branch, MCOCA was invoked against Deshmukh in February 2020 for his alleged involvement in one murder, two extortion cases, and his gang members. He had allegedly murdered a Nerul resident Sachin Garje in September 2019. A case of murder was also registered against him at Nerul police station then.
Police said that Deshmukh, a resident of Gavan village in Panvel Taluka was involved in crimes like murder, attempt to murder, robbery, extortion, and kidnapping. “Due to development work for Navi Mumbai airport is underway, land prices of adjoining areas appreciated and Deshmukh was involved in extortion cases from developers,” said an official from the crime branch. He added that he targeted developers who have projects in Ulwe node, adjoining the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport and Gavan village, his residence.
The police were getting information about extortion from developers by gang members of Deshmukh. However, locals afraid of Deshmukh never came forward and made a formal complaint.
Now, Navi Mumbai Police commissioner Bipin Kumar Singh has appealed to the citizens to come forward without fear and file a complaint against the accused Vikrant alias Vicky Dekmukh if he has committed any crime.
