ORGANISED CRIME ON THE RUNMCOCA grips city underworld

 

 

NAGPUR’S most feared gangsters are now facing the full force of the law. From extortion rackets to brutal murders, the city’s underworld has long thrived on fear.But police have struck back with the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) that shuts the door on easy bail. Notorious gangsters like Santosh Ambekar, once accused in the Balya Gawande murder case, along with his 11 accomplices, have been brought under its net for duping businessmen and threatening citizens. The dreaded Irfan Khan alias Ippa and his brothers, known for assault in geven police personnel, too were booked under MCOCA. Gangs like the Hiranwars, the Ramtekes, and others have also faced similar crackdowns which sent a clear message - the days of operating with impunity are over in Nagpur’s underworld. SINCE 2017,as many as 636 criminals belonging to 93 different gangs have been booked under MCOCA in Nagpur. This year alone, police have taken action against 59 criminals from seven gangs. A senior police official explained that in recent years, criminals have become more notorious and fearless.Many of them manage to get bail within a fortnight or a month after committing a crime.

 

 

“If such criminals returnto the streets so soon,they create more trouble for law and order. MCOCA is the only deterrent weapon which ensures that they do not get bail easily. This creates pressure on gang members and also discourages others from indulging in organised crime,” the official said. Why MCOCA matters The officials said that MCOCA was enacted to curb organised crime in Maharashtra. Unlike other criminal provisions, it allows for stricter conditions for bail, longer detention and more stringent punishment. The official say this makes it especially useful against habitual offenders and gangs. “In many cases, local goons keep coming out of jail and create terror again.But once booked under MCOCA, they cannot return to society so quickly.

 

This gives police time to break their network and bring peace to the area,” said an officer. While the data shows that Nagpur Police have been proactive in using MCOCA, officers admit that organised gangs keep evolving with new methods. From chain-snatching and land grabbing to extortion and online fraud, criminals are constantly trying to expand their reach. Data reveals that almost every police station under the Nagpur Commissionerate has used MCOCA at some point.However, no action has yet been recorded under the Hingna and Old Kamptee police stations. Some of the biggest crackdowns were recorded in Nandanvan (58 criminals in 8 crimes), Hudkeshwar (45 criminals in 7 crimes), Koradi (35 criminals in 9 crimes), and Wadi (34 criminals in 7 crimes).In other areas too, police invoked the stringent law.

 

These include MIDC (21 criminals in 3 cases), Pratap Nagar (16 in 2 cases), Bajaj Nagar (22 in 3 cases), Gittikhadan (33 in 4 cases), Ambazari (29 in 3 cases), and Tehsil (34 in 4 cases). Action was also taken against notorious chain-snatching gangs, which usually consist of just two to three members. One-case stations THERE are at least 11 police stations where only one case each was registered under MCOCA over the years. For example, in Dhantoli, five criminals were booked in one case in 2021. In Kotwali, three were booked in 2024.Similarly, single case swere registered in Lakadganj, Sakkardara, Hudkeshwar, Beltarodi,Kalamna, Kapil Nagar, Pardi and Mankapur. These single-case stations show that even smaller gangs or isolated incidents have been brought under the ambit of the strict law whenever needed. The year 2023 saw the highest number of actions, with 118 criminals booked under 19 differentcases.Police officials said that increased gang activity after the pandemic forced them to act tough. MCOCA slapped against notorious gangs Santosh Ambekar and his 11 accomplices, including Nilesh Kedar, Chandan Choudhary, Juhi Choudhary,Ankit Patel,Ajay Patel, Raju Armarkar, and Arvind Patel, were booked under MCOCA for duping a businessman, extortion, and threats.

 

 

■ Irfan Khan alias Ippa and his brothers Irshad and Naushad faced MCOCA for attempted murder and assaulting police personnel.

■ Hiranwar Gang, linked to a murder case, was booked under MCOCA with key accused and alleged arms supplier Himanshu, alias Jordan Vaidya, arrested.

■ Ramteke Gang ,led by Dattu alias Datya alias Rahul Ramteke, saw seven members booked under MCOCA in a 2024 murder case.