Gangster Gajanan Marne (54) alias Maharaj, who is on the run after multiple offences were lodged against him and his accomplices by the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad police, appeared before the Wadgaon Maval court on Thursday to seek bail in a case registered at the Talegaon Dabhade police station. But after being granted bail, Marne fled from the spot even as the police was waiting to arrest him in other cases. A special court for the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) had recently acquitted Marne and 13 of his aides in connection with the murder of Santosh Hiraman Gawade alias Pappu, a rival gang member, for lack of evidence. Earlier, the court had acquitted 21 of his aides in the murder of another rival gang member, Amol Hari Badhe. Both Gawade and Badhe were affiliated with Marne’s rival, Nilesh Ghaywal's gang. While Gawade was gunned down on November 4, 2014, Badhe was murdered on November 29, 2014. Following the acquittal, Marne was released from Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai. He and his supporters then undertook a large procession from Taloja to Pune on February 15. Five offences were lodged against Marne and his aides at Kothrud and Warje police stations in Pune, Hinjewadi and Talegaon Dabhade police stations in Pimpri-Chinchwad and Khalapur police station in Raigad for taking out the procession, police said. Marne and his aides were arrested by the Pune City Police in connection with the Kothrud police station case, but he was released on bail by the court. Now, police want to arrest him for other offences, but according to a press release issued by the Pune City Police on February 20, Marne was on the run from them. The police have also arrested a local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena officebearer who had allegedly welcomed Marne during his procession in Kothrud. Meanwhile, the Crime Branch of Pune City Police has booked eight persons of Ghaywal's gang for allegedly threatening a person at knife-point and taking away his four-wheeler, according to a press release on Thursday. Based on the man's complaint, an FIR in this case has been lodged at Kothrud police station under sections 395 (dacoity), 294b (obscene act in any public place), 109 (abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 506 (2) (criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Arms Act. Two accused, Santosh Dhumal (38) and Musab alias Moosa Ilahi Shaikh (29), have been arrested and search is underway for the remaining six. - Stay updated with the latest Pune news. Follow Express Pune on Twitter here and on Facebook here. You can also join our Express Pune Telegram channel here.
