Dreaded three involved in 23 dacoities arrested

Gold and silver ornaments, 8 mobile handsets, 6 four-wheelers, a two-wheeler and 6u00a0lcd tvs recoveredu00a0

Three people wanted for their involvement in several petrol pump dacoities, vehicle thefts, a bank robbery and an ATM theft in the city, its rural vicinity and Dhule district have been arrested by the police.

Among the arrested was notorious gangster Arjunsingh Rajputsingh Dudhani (28).


BIG catch: Police officials of the Crime Branch with the arrested men
and the items recovered from them

Interrogation
Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested Dudhani from Ramtekdi in Hadapsar last week, and during his interrogation he spilled the beans on his aides Ujalasingh Prabhusingh Tak (19) of Kothrud and Kismatsingh Ramsingh Bhada (24) of Dhule, who were subsequently arrested.

The police said Dudhani (28), a resident of Hadapsar, was released by a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in January, after which he formed a new gang comprising Tak and Bhada.

"The three have so far admitted their involvement in 23 crimes, including the dacoities at petrol pumps in Shikrapur and Theur, a robbery attempt at PDCC Bank and ATM theft attempt in Pimpri in the past eight months," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV) Sanjay Jadhav.

The police seized gold and silver ornaments, eight mobile handsets, six four-wheelers, which include three Tavera, two Maruti cars, and an Innova, a two-wheeler and six LCD televisions from the three. The worth of the recovered items is Rs 30 lakh.

Jeweller held
While the police are on the lookout for a fourth gang member, a Dhule jeweller was arrested when the police learnt he had bought valuables from Dudhani's gang.

"We have arrested jeweller Sandip Sonar from Dhule who bought the stolen ornaments from the suspects. The search is on to catch one more accomplice who is on the run," said Jadhav.

The Cantonment court remanded the three arrested men in police custody till Friday.

The police said Dudhani was a close aide of slain gangster Daulatsingh Tak. Dudhani was booked under the MCOCA in 2004, acquitted this January, and started committing dacoities and thefts with a new gang soon after. He was arrested again on November 4.

The investigating team was led by Senior Inspector Pandharinath Mandhare and Inspector (Crime) Vishwambhar Golde.