The Pune city police have registered a fresh case against fugitive gangster Nilesh Ghaywal, who managed to flee from the country last month, using a passport allegedly procured illegally. In the latest case, the police have booked him under the Telecommunications Act for fraudulently procuring a SIM card using the identity of another person and then using that SIM card for financial transactions. Officials said that this is the eighth offence registered against the notorious gang leader since September 17, when members of the Ghaywal gang allegedly opened fire at a man and attacked a student with sharp weapons in the Kothrud area, following a road rage incident. After the September 17 incident, based on the complaints filed by the two victims, two separate FIRs were registered against the assailants. The police further invoked the stringent sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against Ghaywal and eight of his gang members booked in the two cases. While some members of his gang were arrested, Ghaywal managed to evade the investigators and travelled abroad last month. The police suspect that he travelled to London and Switzerland. A separate FIR was lodged against Ghaywal at the Kothrud police station as a probe revealed that he had procured the passport illegally. Ghaywal is a dreaded criminal on police record, who leads a gang allegedly involved in serious offences like murder, attempt to murder, extortions. On Monday night, a separate FIR was registered against Ghaywal based on the complaint filed by a sales manager at a mobile telecommunication store in Kothrud area. Investigation revealed that Ghaywal threatened to kill this complainant and used his online Aadhaar details to obtain a SIM card ending four digits 8055, as it reads similar to the word BOSS. Ghaywal then used this SIM card to open bank accounts and do financial transactions. "We have invoked sections pertaining to the Telecommunications Act, Information Technology Act and provisions related to cheating and criminal intimidation," said an officer from Kothrud police station. When asked about the recent actions against gangsters Bandu Andekar and Nilegh Ghaywal, Commissioner of Pune Police Amitesh Kumar said on Tuesday, “Our action against them will not stop at their arrest and preventive action. We have taken a stand to completely destroying the ecosystem of these criminals. We are taking stringent action against those who help them directly or indirectly, those glorifying these criminals and against their source of finance and economic activity." He added that a procedure towards the extradition of Ghaywal has been initiated. The Pune police have initiated communication with the Central government to issue a Blue Corner Notice through the Interpol for the purpose of Ghaywal's extradition. Blue Corner Notice is issued by Interpol to collect information about a person’s identity, location, or activities in relation to a crime. It is mainly used when the person’s whereabouts are unknown and more details are needed, officials said.
