Pune: In a major crackdown on illegal sand mining, Crime Branch Unit 6 of the Pune Police seized machinery valued at over ₹35.4 lakh during a surprise raid conducted near Shitole Vasti in Kolwadi on May 7, 2025. The operation, carried out on the basis of confidential information from senior officials, led to the arrest of a notorious repeat offender, Pankaj Sadashiv Gaikwad (38), a resident of Bhairoba Vasti, Kolwadi.
Under the leadership of Police Inspector Wahid Pathan, the crime branch team conducted a late-night patrol along the Mula-Mutha riverbed stretching from Theur to Kolwadi. During the inspection, active sand extraction was discovered near Shitole Vasti. Acting swiftly, the police raided the site and detained Gaikwad along with his accomplices before they could escape.
The operation resulted in the seizure of a SANY Pokeland excavator valued at ₹25 lakh, two tractors with trolleys of Sonalika and Mahindra brands worth ₹10 lakh, and eight units of illegally mined sand estimated at ₹40,000. The total value of the confiscated items stands at ₹35.4 lakh. A case has been registered at Lonikand Police Station under Sections 4 and 21 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, along with relevant clauses from Government Resolution No. 214/2025 and B.S.Y. No. 2023. Legal proceedings are currently underway with approval from senior authorities.
The arrested accused, Pankaj Gaikwad, has a long criminal history. He has been previously booked for serious offences such as murder, dacoity, and conspiracy in multiple cases registered at Kondhwa, Hadapsar, Paud, and Lonikand police stations. His criminal record includes IPC Sections 302, 143, 148, 147, 149, 120B in a 2009 Kondhwa case; Sections 395 and 439 in a 2010 case and Section 399 in a 2020 case in Hadapsar; and multiple charges including murder and conspiracy in a 2012 Paud case. In 2023, he was again booked under various sections including 326, 323, 147, and 427 at Lonikand. Gaikwad has also been subjected to preventive action under CrPC Section 110 and was detained for two years under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act.
The operation was executed under the guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shailesh Balakwade, Deputy Commissioner of Police Nikhil Pingle, and Assistant Commissioner Rajendra Mulik. The field operation involved Sub-Inspector Ramkrishna Dalvi and a team of officers including Karkhele, Tambekar, Takwane, Kate, and others from Crime Branch Unit 6.
Authorities confirmed that the crackdown is part of a larger, ongoing campaign to curb illegal sand mining in and around Pune, a practice that poses significant environmental threats and often circumvents legal and regulatory frameworks.
