Pune: Bibewadi builder files report against Dawood-gang connected gangsters

Pune: A builder has filed a complaint with Pune Police Crime Branch stating that Dawood-gang connected gangsters have illegally occupied his land plot on a hill slope near Bibwewadi. Further, the builder has also said that local police officials from Marketyard police station have refused to act against the gangsters despite several complaints.

Rajkumar Lodha (60), a resident of Sukhsagar Nagar has filed this complaint with Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ashok Morale. In his complaint, Lodha has said that while he was stepping out of the Marketyard police station on July 19 after filing a complaint, one of the suspects from the illegal occupiers approached him and claimed that he is connected to Dawood Ibrahim gang. "Clear this matter immediately or else be ready to pay a heavy price," the gangster had warned, Lodha stated in his complaint.

Lodha in his complaint also says, "I have an open land plot near Bibwewadi. The land plot ownership is in the name of my wife. It is on a hill slope area and hence construction is not allowed on that land. So we have leased that land for commercial advertisements on hoardings after taking permission from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)."

"During the lockdown period, some unknown persons have illegally occupied the land by constructing a steel shed. I had approached the Marketyard police officials on July 19 for filing a complaint in this regard, but no action was taken against the suspects. So I approached Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ashok Morale and requested him to look into the matter. Additional CP Morale then asked Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5) Suhas Bavache to take appropriate action. Accordingly, DCP Bavache instructed Marketyard police officials to take action in this case," Lodha has stated in the complaint.

Lodha said, "After DCP Bavache's instructions, I visited the Marketyard police station to take follow-up regarding the action taken against the suspects. But instead of acting upon the complaint, the local police officers asked me to not de-escalate the matter."

Additional CP Morale said, "We are investigating the case and appropriate action will be taken against the concerned persons."

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Marketyard police officials say

- Approaching senior officers and asking then to intervene does not mean that we will act immediately
- The persons who have illegally occupied your land are 'connected' to the higher-ups; they illegally occupy land and vacate it later after taking money
- Everybody in the system is bribed and everybody works for them
- You can tell these things to whomsoever, it doesn't bother me