Gangster Marne held for assault on man working in Union minister's office in Pune

Pune, Feb 24 (PTI) Gangster Gajanan Marne was arrested on Monday evening after members of his crime syndicate allegedly assaulted a man working in Union minister Murlidhar Mohol's office in Pune, a police official said.

With this, four members of the gang, including its head, have been arrested in connection with the incident last week and all of them will be booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), he said.

A criminal case in this matter was registered against Marne and others at the Kothrud police station in Pune city.

The official said, "Marne was arrested in the case lodged at the Kothrud police station. The MCOCA will be invoked against him and his gang members for their role in assault on a man in the Kothrud area on Friday. We are probing the matter further." The police took action after a 33-year-old man working at the office of Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Mohol, was assaulted allegedly by Marne gang members. After the incident, the BJP Lok Sabha MP from Pune had expressed concern over public safety and instructed police officials to take stringent action against those involved in the attack.

Talking to the media earlier in the day, Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said police will invoke the MCOCA, which has stringent provisions, against Marne and his gang members over the Kothrud incident.

He vowed to go after the gang members and seize their properties and vehicles.

"We are seizing properties of all goons. Also, we are obtaining information from the RTO (regional transport office) about the vehicles they are using. The vehicles used by such gang members will be seized soon," asserted the IPS officer.

Application of MCOCA means the accused, when arrested, would remain in jail for a lengthier duration compared to other criminal laws and police would get additional time beyond the stipulated 90 days to file a chargesheet. Also, bail is not easily granted under the tough law. PTI COR RSY