Thane court convicts two for trespass, outraging modesty; clears them of MCOCA charges

A Thane court has convicted two men for house trespass and outraging modesty in a case where they along with four others were accused of barging into a house in Kalwa area and assaulting a man in an extortion attempt reported news agency PTIIn the verdict delivered on May 9 the Thane court however acquitted the accused of extortion and charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act MCOCA The copy of the order became available on TuesdayGanesh Rangnath Shinde alias Kala Ganya and Ankush Suryakant Gawand were sentenced to the period of imprisonment already undergone Ganesh Shinde had been in custody for over six years and Ankush Gawand for nearly one year and ten months reported PTISpecial judge MCOCA Amit M Shete also ordered them to pay a fine of Rs 2000 per offence each Out of the fine amount Rs 5000 shall to be paid as compensation to the complainants wife the judge saidAs per Kalwa Police Ganesh Shinde and his associates entered the complainants house on September 9 2016 The intruders demanded Rs 10000 from him assaulted him and outraged the modesty of his wife and her sisters reported PTIThe judge found Shinde and Ankush Gawand guilty under sections 354 outraging modesty 452 housetrespass after preparation for hurt 504 intentional insult and 506 criminal intimidation of the Indian Penal Code while acquitting Sandeep alias Sanjay Gadekar Ajit alias Tilya Maruti Sudke and Devidas alias Deva Rabaji Gadekar Another accused died during the trial so did the complainantThe Thane court relied on the testimonies of the women witnesses but found no sufficient evidence to back the polices claim that Shinde and others were part of an organised crime syndicate as required for conviction under the stringent MCOCA reported PTIThe Thane court also pointed out serious investigation lapses including the polices failure to secure CCTV footage from the crime sceneThane court acquits man booked under MCOCA for highway robberyA special court in Thane district has acquitted a man booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act MCOCA in a 17yearold highway robbery and dacoity case citing insufficient evidence reported news agency PTIAdditional Special Judge A N Sirsikar acquitted Shobhan alias Gando Himla Machar of charges under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and MCOCAA copy of the order dated April 29 was made available on MondayMachar was arrested in 2008 in connection with a robbery on the MumbaiAhmedabad Highway on December 9 2007 during which vehicles were stopped and occupants looted of valuables worth more than Rs 3 lakh reported PTIWith inputs from PTIatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params