Pune: Chandannagar Police Nab MCOCA Accused After Two Years on the Run
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Chandannagar, 19th April 2025: After nearly two years of evading arrest, a key accused in a serious Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) case has finally been caught by Chandannagar Police. The accused, Nishant alias Monya Ramesh Bhalerao, 20, was arrested from Kharadi following a tip-off.
Bhalerao, a resident of Dayasagar Society in Vadgaonsheri, Pune, was wanted in a case dating back to October 10, 2023, when he and his associates created terror on the streets of Vadgaonsheri. Around 1:25 am that day, the group, led by co-accused Shubham Bhosale (27) of Bund Garden, along with 4 to 6 unidentified men, allegedly confronted a complainant near Suma Café Buddha’s Chinese Hotel on Old Mundhwa Road.
According to the FIR, the gang abused and threatened to kill the complainant. When the complainant fled towards Ambedkar Colony to save his life, the accused chased him and caused chaos by smashing the windows of multiple two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers parked outside the colony. Witnesses reported the accused brandished sharp weapons and wooden sticks, yelling threats and inciting panic among local residents.
A case was promptly registered at Chandannagar Police Station, and several of the accused were arrested in the following days. However, Bhalerao had managed to disappear—until now.
On receiving a confidential tip from policeman Vishwanath Gone, a police team led by Police Sub-Inspector Aswale, and including constables Ramchandra Gurav, Vikas Kadam, Shekhar Shinde, and Vishwanath Gone, laid a trap near Matoshree Society on Nagpal Road, Kharadi.
When the team approached the location, they spotted a man matching the description. As soon as he saw the officers, he attempted to flee. A brief chase ensued, after which the suspect was apprehended. On questioning, he confirmed his identity as Nishant alias Monya Ramesh Bhalerao.
The action was taken under the guidance of Additional CP (East Region) Manoj Patil, DCP (Zone-4) Himmat Jadhav, ACP (Khadki Division) Pranjali Sonawane and Senior Police Inspector Seema Dhakne, in-charge of Chandannagar police station. The team included Police Sub-Inspector Ajay Aswale, police personnel Vishwanath Gone, Ramchandra Gurav, Vikas Kadam and Shekhar Shinde.
