In March this year, police had invoked MCOCA against Pote as, after being released on bail, he was found to be involved in organised crimes. However, the Bombay High Court had recently stayed the MCOCA investigation against Pote.
Three persons were convicted and awarded life imprisonment on Thursday by a special court for Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) cases in Pune for the murder of gangster Sandip Mohol in 2006.
Mohol, who was then also an office-bearer of NCP, was shot dead in broad daylight by his rivals on Paud Road on October 4, 2006. The incident was considered to be one of the biggest gang crimes in the city.
An offence of murder was lodged in this case at the Kothrud police station and 18 persons, including gangsters Ganesh Marne and Sachin Pote, were arrested in connection with the case. Firearms, sharp weapons and other material was seized from them during the investigation. The accused were initially booked under sections of Indian Penal Code and Arms Act, and MCOCA was invoked later.
Nearly 16 years after the murder, an order in this case was passed by Additional Special Judge A N Sirsikar on Thursday. The order stated that the accused Sachin Pote, Jameer Shaikh and Sachin Lande “are convicted wide sections 235 (2)of the Code of Criminal Procedure, for the offences punishable under sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 302 and 427 of the IPC…Each of them is directed to suffer imprisonment for life…”. But none of the accused were convicted under MCOCA.
Two of the accused, Dinesh Aavji and Pandurang Mohol, died during the trial, while accused Indraneel Mishra was murdered following a financial dispute in April this year. The remaining nine accused have been acquitted by the court.
In March this year, police had invoked MCOCA against Pote as, after being released on bail, he was found to be involved in organised crimes. However, the Bombay High Court had recently stayed the MCOCA investigation against Pote.
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