Delhi court paves way for trial against gangster Neeraj Bawana

A Delhi sessions court paved the way for the trial of Delhi gangster Neeraj Sherawat, also known as Neeraj Bawana and three others for offences committed under section 3 of the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The court has fixed November 18 as the date for framing of the charges.

In September 2015, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police had charged Bawana and nine others under the organised crime act. The three others who have been charged include Bawana's elder brother Pankaj, Navin Dabbas, and Rahul Dabbas. While, ex-MLA and Bawana's maternal uncle, Rambeer Shokeen was declared a proclaimed offender, charges against the four others who were chargesheeted have been dismissed.

However, while dismissing the five accused, the judge observed that there wasn't enough incriminating evidence to attract charges of MCOCA. "As far as accused Sunil Rathi, Naveen Hooda, Deepak Dabbas, Amit Malik, and Gurpreet Singh are concerned, there is not sufficient material on record to frame charges," Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Pandit said.

In the chargesheet, running more than 2000 pages, Delhi police had alleged that Bawana's gang committed 'criminal activities to establish criminal as well as political supremacy.' Bawana - 'the kingpin' was termed as a 'symbol of lawlessness' and his uncle Shokeen as the 'political face' of the syndicate.

The police had claimed that the gang has been involved in around 148 criminal cases and had listed 163 prosecution witnesses.

Cases listed by the police involved crimes ranging from murder, extortion and land grabbing. "The gang has been creating havoc by committing a series of crimes and Bawana has become a synonym for terror," the police added.

In September, Bawana was also convicted for offences committed under the Arms Act