MCOCA on gang that looted bank in Naigaum

Four robbers, one of them an account holder with the Apna Bazar Sahakari Bank, Naigaon, have been booked under the stringent MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) by the Bhoiwada police on Monday, for looting the bank of Rs29 lakh. Interestingly, the bank is located barely 300 metres from Bhoiwada police station.

The robbers — Mangesh Buravane, 35, Rajesh Gurav, 35, Shiva Gauda, 38 and Vijay Poojari, 30—barged into the Naigaon branch of Apna Bazar Sahakari Bank around 7.50am on May 29, 2009. Two of them carrying revolvers, went straight to the strongroom after threatening bank employees and decamped with the cash in a Maruti car. The car was later found abandoned at Sewri. The car had been stolen from Rabale in Navi Mumbai a few days ago.

After a thorough investigation, the police succeeded in arresting Buravane and Gurav from Parel in February 2010. During interrogation, the duo revealed the names of Gauda and Poojari.

“These two were arrested from Mandya in Karnataka last week. The police also recovered Rs3.93 lakh from them,” said an inspector from Bhoiwada police station.

There were several cases of dacoity and robbery registered against them at various police stations in Mumbai.

The officer said the court observed they were running an organised crime syndicate for pecuniary benefits. Of the four, Buravane had a savings account with the bank and provided details like bank location, timings and location of the strongroom, to his associates, the inspector said.