In a strong crackdown on organised crime, the Pimpri Chinchwad police have invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the gang led by notorious criminal Suresh Laduram Bishnoi alias Suresh Dhaka, following their involvement in an armed robbery at the bungalow of a 76-year-old businessman in Nigdi Pradhikaran.
The Crime
On the evening of July 20, 2024, industrialist Chandrabhan Chhoteram Agarwal, owner of R R Industries in Chinchwad MIDC, was alone at his residence when five robbers stormed his bungalow.
Two of them forced their way inside while three others, including a woman, guarded the entrance.
Brandishing a firearm, the gang demanded access to a safe containing cash and jewellery. When Agarwal said no such safe existed, the assailants tied him up, gagged him, and ransacked the house. They looted gold, silver ornaments, wristwatches, and cash worth ₹6.15 lakh before escaping around 10.30 pm.
The gang also tied up the family of the domestic help and locked them in the outhouse. Alert neighbours noticed suspicious movements and immediately informed the police. Officers rushed to the spot, freed Agarwal, and launched a probe.
The Investigation
Police teams scanned more than 200 CCTV cameras across the city to track the culprits. Investigators eventually traced the getaway car’s movements over 1,200 kilometres to Jaipur, Rajasthan.
On July 24, a special team arrested Suresh Dhaka (29), a dreaded criminal with 21 prior cases of armed robbery and attempted murder across Rajasthan and Gujarat. His arrest from Shyamnagar in Jaipur led to the recovery of the victim’s wife’s jewellery, her Aadhaar card, Agarwal’s wallet, and four walkie-talkie sets used by the gang.
Police revealed that the gang relied on walkie-talkies instead of mobile phones to avoid detection. This unusual absence of mobile activity in the crime zone became a vital lead during the probe.
Soon after, two more accused — Mahipal Ramlal Bishnoi (19) of Rajasthan and Subhash Mohanlal Bishnoi (30) of Haryana — were also arrested, while a hunt continues for the remaining members, including the unidentified woman accomplice.
MCOCA Imposed
According to a press release issued Thursday, the gang was found to be involved in nine major crimes, prompting Police Commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey to approve invoking MCOCA.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shivaji Pawar clarified that Suresh Bishnoi’s gang had no connection to high-profile gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. He further added that similar action under MCOCA has also been taken against other organised gangs led by dreaded criminals Abhishek Nimbalkar, Avinash Avad, and Arman Nanavat, who have been active in Pimpri Chinchwad.
With the imposition of MCOCA, the Suresh Bishnoi gang faces tougher legal provisions designed to dismantle organised criminal networks and ensure that hardened repeat offenders do not escape through procedural loopholes.
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