Special Correspondent
Pune: The Gaja Marane gang faced the heat after brutally assaulting a youth from Union Minister Muralidhar Mohol’s office. Following Mohol’s strong reprimand, Pune Police launched a crackdown and invoked the stringent MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act) against the gang.
Mohol had lashed out at the police, questioning their inaction: “Are Pune Police turning a blind eye? What message does this send to the younger generation? I will not allow my city’s reputation to be tarnished. As a public representative, how many times do I need to raise this issue?” He further warned, “Everything must stop, or we will have to take matters into our own hands.”
In response, Pune Police took swift action, slapping MCOCA charges on three arrested suspects involved in the assault on Devendra Jog. Additionally, the entire Marane gang has been booked under MCOCA, with authorities determined to dismantle their network. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has ordered a detailed report on the gang’s activities, with 27 individuals now under police radar.
“I was dissatisfied with the initial pace of the investigation into the Devendra Jog assault case. Now, even the smallest mistake by criminals will not be ignored. No one should take the law into their own hands. We have collected property details of the gang members through DDR and sought vehicle information from the RTO. Some criminals are committing offenses outside Pune, and we are closely monitoring them,” said Commissioner Kumar.
The case escalated after members of the notorious Gaja Marane gang mercilessly assaulted a staffer from Minister Mohol’s office. This led the police to invoke MCOCA against Gaja Marane himself, who is also a key accused in the Devendra Jog assault case.
