A police team on patrol caught a man with stolen sandalwood stacked in a car in Dhankavdi early on Sunday and arrested Pradeep Shyam More (28) of Wadgaon Budruk. However, his accomplice, Tahir Ansari of Dattawadi, is absconding.

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More has been charged under various provisions of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation of Trees Act, 1975; the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964; and the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

The incident took place on an open land on Taljai Pathar belonging to Santosh Prakash Jagdale (34), who runs a fabrication unit in Dattanagar. Jagdale's father had planted two sandalwood trees 20 years ago.

Police sub-inspector Tejaswini Yadav said, "More was nabbed by assistant sub-inspector Khot while patrolling in the area called Teen Hatti Chowk. More was standing at the junction with his car in a suspicious manner."

When Jagdale reached Sahakarnagar police station to lodge a complaint, the police had already taken More into custody along with the stolen sandalwood tree pieces.