Pune Gangland: Inter-State Firearms Smuggling Gang Busted by Pimpri Chinchwad Police
By India Crime Correspondent
PUNE Pimpri, 16 July 2020
- Significant Recovery of Weapons and Ammunition
- Police Seize 42 Country-Made Pistols and 66 Live Cartridges
- Major Breakthrough in Curbing Illegal Arms Trade
- Seizure of Illegal Firearms and Arrests
- 26 Accused Nabbed from MP and Maharashtra
In a major operation, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Crime Branch Unit-4 has successfully uncovered an inter-state gang comprising 26 individuals hailing from Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Maharashtra, engaged in the smuggling of illicit firearms.
The operation resulted in the confiscation of 42 country-made pistols, 66 live cartridges, and a car with a total estimated value of Rs 19.89 lakhs. Notably, the accused have reportedly distributed more than 75 pistols across Maharashtra.
Initial Arrests and Chain of Events
The investigation was initiated based on a tip-off received by Police Naik Laxman Adhari of Crime Branch Unit 4, which led to the arrest of Ganesh Mali of Sangvi in March.
Mali had acquired firearms from Gyanoba alias Gotu Maruti Gite of Parli in Beed district.
Subsequently, Gite was also apprehended, and the police recovered six pistols and 15 cartridges from his possession. Gite revealed that he had procured the weapons from an individual referred to as ‘Sardar’ in Madhya Pradesh.
A trip to MP, however, yielded no results initially, disrupted further by the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
Persistent Investigation and Gang Modus Operandi
Undeterred by the challenges, a dedicated team led by Senior Police Inspector Mohan Shinde, Assistant Police Inspector Ambrish Deshmukh, and Constable Prashant Said continued their pursuit.
Through a meticulous analysis of call details and a renewed trip to MP, the officers gathered critical insights into the gang’s modus operandi.
Successful Arrest of Gang Leader
Under the guidance of Crime Branch DCP Sudhir Hiremath and ACP Rajaram Patil, a comprehensive action plan was developed, leading to the successful capture of the gang leader, Manisingh Gurmukh Singh Bhatia.
After a two-day pursuit, Bhatia was apprehended in Singhana village, Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh. The operation resulted in the seizure of 11 country pistols and 22 live cartridges.
Subsequent investigation revealed Bhatia’s central role in supplying firearms to criminal networks across Pune, Solapur, Osmanabad, and Beed districts.
Extensive Network of Accomplices
Among the apprehended suspects are Ganesh Mali of Sangvi, Gyanoba alias Gotu Maruti Gite of Parli in Beed district, Manisingh Gurmukh Singh Bhatia, Kalusingh Jaswant Singh, both from Singhana in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, Kush Nandkumar Pawar of Talegaon Dabhade, Prasanna Dnyaneshwar Pawar of Godumbre in Shirgaon, and several others from different locations.
The arrested individuals were involved in the sale of weapons to criminal elements in various regions of Maharashtra. Of the identified 26 suspects, 15 have been apprehended thus far.
Efficient and Determined Law Enforcement Response
The operation was conducted under the leadership of Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissioner Sandeep Bishnoi, Additional Commissioner of Police Ramnath Pokale, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sudhir Hiremath, and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rajaram Patil.
The team, comprising Crime Branch Unit 4 Senior Police Inspector Mohan Shinde, Assistant Police Inspector Ambrish Deshmukh, and several others, demonstrated exceptional dedication and determination in curbing the illegal arms trade.
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