Pune Gangland: Arun Gawli Gang Member Arrested: Illegal Arms Found
By India Crime Correspondent
PUNE, 23 May, 2019
Pimpri-Chinchwad police took decisive action on Wednesday by apprehending an alleged member of the notorious Arun Gawli gang and two of his associates. The arrests were made on charges of possessing illegal firearms.
Identified Culprits:
The arrested individuals were identified as Charan Balasaheb Thakar (26) hailing from Maval, Pradeep Shivaji Khandge (28) from Khed, and Raju Shivlal Pardeshi (59) of Maval.
Unit I of the Pimpri-Chinchwad crime branch orchestrated a meticulous operation to ensnare the suspects in Alandi. The authorities had monitored the activities of the arms supplier, who was to vend pistols to the accused.
Details of Operation:
Inspector Uttam Tangde of the crime branch explained, “Thakar, a confirmed gang member, had arrived at the predetermined location to purchase a pistol from Khandge. We had been surveilling Khandge, who was illicitly providing arms to certain individuals within the city. When the deal was about to transpire between Khandge and Thakar, we intervened and apprehended them.”
Seizure and Confession:
At the arranged rendezvous near Indrayani Hospital in Alandi, Thakar and Pardeshi met Khandge to consummate the illegal arms exchange. Law enforcement officials were able to apprehend the duo after they had acquired the firearms from Khandge.
The confiscated items included two country-made pistols and five live cartridges. Khandge, upon interrogation, admitted to having previously supplied arms to both Thakar and Pardeshi.
Criminal History and Investigations:
Inspector Tangde highlighted, “Thakar was previously arrested for illicitly selling alcohol. Recently, he expanded his unlawful activities by procuring weapons in association with Pardeshi. Thakar’s impending purchase from Khandge served as the trigger for his arrest. We are delving deeper into the matter to ascertain the extent of their arms procurement. We suspect that Khandge has been facilitating arms deals for the duo and potentially others for a considerable time.”
According to police sources, Thakar holds the position of president within the Bhartiya Adhyaksh Sena in Maval taluka. Meanwhile, Khandge has a history of assault-related cases in Khed.
Illegal Arms Network:
The police assert that the arms supplier had surreptitiously introduced weapons from Madhya Pradesh and distributed them to Thakar and Pardeshi. Authorities are actively investigating the supplier’s affiliations in Madhya Pradesh. The accused individuals are now facing charges under the Arms Act.
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