Chhota Rajan accomplice in police net

Underworld don Chhota Rajan’s alleged aide in Pune, Deepak Waman Sapke (28), was arrested by the Pune crime branch police on Thursday night for allegedly hatching a plan to loot a petrol pump in Hadapsar along with seven others.

A pistol, five live cartridges, iron rods and other weapons, besides a car, were recovered.

According to the police, around 10.15 pm, the accused had come to the Sidheshwar petrol pump in Hadapsar to commit the crime.

A team led by police inspector Sunil Patil of the anti-chain snatching squad nabbed Sapke at the pump and recovered the weapons along with a car (MH 14 BC 3486).

The other suspects have been identified as Gaurav Pandurang Shelke (22) of Vadgaonsheri, Surendra Bahadur Singh Purohit (27) of Yerawada, Amol Vishwas Ohwal (29) of Wagholi, Subramanyam alias Kutty Pandu Devar (27) of Tadiwala Road, Salman Mohammad Hussain Abbaji (24) of Ganj Peth,
Akshay Prakash Mandhare (23) of Shikrapur and
Amjad Hamid Khan (35) of Kondhwa.

Sub-inspector Rajan Jagdale lodged a complaint with the Hadapsar police station under sections 399 (making preparation to commit dacoity) and 402 (assembling for purpose of dacoity) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and other relevant sections of the Bombay Police Act and Arms Act, 1951.

Sapke has many cases of kidnapping, murder and extortion registered against him in Ulhasnagar, Nashik, Pune city and district and other cities, besides cases under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act 1999.

In Pune city, there are cases of extortion against Shelke, Purohit, Ohwal and Subramanyam.

The suspects have been remanded in police custody till September 19.

Man held for duping businessman
The Bundgarden police have booked a person for allegedly duping a Mumbai-based businessman, Vijaykumar Santoshchandra Jain (55), on the pretext of selling land on the city outskirts valued at Rs4.45 crore.

The suspect has been identified as Ranjit Shankarao Deshmukh of Karve Road.

The police said, “A few days ago, Jain, who deals in exports and import business, wanted to buy property in Pune for his business and got in touch with Deshmukh.

“The latter briefed him about 247 acres of land available for sale in Marunje and Hinjewadi area.”

Jain gave him seven cheques of Rs4.45 crore and he was promised a return of Rs10 crore if the deal fails.

“The deal did not happen and Deshmukh gave Jain Rs5.50 crore in cheques, which later bounced. When Jain contacted Deshmukh, he allegedly threatened him of dire consequences,” the police said.