Pune Gangland: Pune City Crime Branch Apprehends Criminal Duo Dadi and Surve
By India Crime Correspondent
PUNE, 7 March 2011
In a decisive operation executed by the city’s crime branch anti-organised crime cell, the arrest of seasoned criminal Asif Iqbal Shaikh, alias Asif Dadi, and his accomplice Nitin Shrikant Surve, known as RDX, took place on Saturday evening at Ambedkar Chowk in Pimpri.
Strategic Arrest and Seized Arsenal
Under the leadership of police inspector Satish Govekar, a targeted operation led to the successful apprehension of the two individuals.
Acting on intelligence, law enforcement officers were able to recover a country-made pistol, a revolver, and four live cartridges from the possession of Asif and Nitin.
The former hails from MIDC, Pimpri, while the latter resides near VIT College at Upper Indiranagar.
Asif’s Criminal Profile
Asif’s criminal record spans multiple cases, including charges of kidnapping, murder, attempt to murder, and violations under the Arms Act.
Authorities assert that he was affiliated with the late Meghnath Shetty’s erstwhile gang and had ties to the banned organization Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
Presently, he is allegedly striving to consolidate his influence within Pune’s underworld.
Series of Offenses and Legal Maneuvers
Asif has purportedly been implicated in a murder case, three attempted murder cases, and approximately eight cases involving physical harm. While he has been previously apprehended by law enforcement, he managed to secure bail on those occasions.
Nitin’s Criminal Background
Nitin, on the other hand, had received a life imprisonment sentence from a city court in a 2002 murder case documented at Swargate Police Station. After the court’s pronouncement, he went on the run, subsequently evading capture.
During his fugitive period, Nitin faced charges at Hadapsar Police Station in connection with the kidnapping-murder case of Nazir Sayyad of Camp in 2007.
Police suspect Nitin orchestrated the crime with the assistance of Asif, cementing Nitin’s association with the murder.
Unraveling an Illicit Firearm Network
With Nitin’s apprehension, law enforcement agencies are now delving into the possibility of uncovering a network of illegal country-made firearm traders operating in Pune and across other parts of the state.
Alleged Political Connections
Rumors have circulated that Asif maintains close ties to a politician based in Pimpri, who recently parted ways with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Several years ago, Asif’s arrest near the politician’s residence stirred a discussion in the state assembly during that period.
The politician, however, remains unavailable for comment on these allegations.
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