More than six months after he played the role of a second fiddle to his master who led his gang to mount an armed attack on a Naigaon-based developer, notorious goon and serial offender Shridhar Gotya Jadhav alias Akash was recently arrested by a team from the crime branch unit (Zone II) from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

Seeking ₹1 crore as extortion to resolve a property dispute, the gang led by Girish Kumaran Nair (38) and his accomplices armed with swords and rods had attacked the developer at his office Bindshakti Real Estate and Infra Pvt. Limited located on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in Naigaon on June, 20. Apart from attacking Yadav and his staffers, the assailants went on a rampage by damaging two cars which were parked outside the office.

MBVV police seek Crime Branch’s help

Sensing the seriousness of the issue, DCP (Zone II) Pournima Chougule-Shringi and ACP Padmaja Bade formed special teams and also roped in the crime branch unit to nab the goons. While four gang members were arrested immediately after the crime, Nair was arrested two months later from Goregaon. However, Akash went into hiding after the crime and remained untraceable by frequently changing his locations.

However, the police team relentlessly continued their hunt and finally acted on a tip-off, supported by a robust electronic surveillance system, learnt that Akash was holed up in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. A team from the Naigaon police immediately left for Varanasi and with the help of their local Special Task Force (STF) counterparts apprehended Akash.

Arrested gangster is a history-sheeter

Investigations revealed his involvement in 10 serious offences including- murder, attempt to murder and rape registered against him at various police stations in Mumbai and other areas.

Apart from sections 307 (attempt to murder), 386 (extortion), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt), 452 (house-trespass), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) of the IPC and Arms Act, the accused gang members were also charged under the provisions of the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for unleashing terror in the region.