The notorious Ghaywal gang, already infamous for its violent exploits in Pune’s underworld, has landed in fresh trouble as police register yet another case of extortion and criminal intimidation against its fugitive leader, Nilesh Ghaywal, his brother, Sachin Ghaywal, and several accomplices.
The gang, which has long been on the police radar for its involvement in organized crime, now faces allegations of cheating and extorting ₹44.36 lakh from a woman entrepreneur in the city’s Kothrud area.
According to a detailed FIR lodged at Kothrud police station on Friday, the complaint was filed by a 40-year-old businesswoman who runs Edjunct Educational Services LLP, a firm providing food and transport services to several Pune schools.
The woman stated that the ordeal began in February 2024, when a physical education teacher, Bapu Kadam, approached her, claiming that he owned a dairy business supplying milk and paneer to school canteens.
He persuaded her to buy dairy products from him for the upcoming academic session.
Trusting his claim, the complainant transferred ₹22.02 lakh in March 2024 to a bank account purportedly belonging to Kalyani Dairy. However, no supplies were ever delivered.
When the woman questioned Kadam about the missing goods, he allegedly turned hostile, threatening to shut down her business and boasting of his links with gangster Nilesh Ghaywal.
Matters escalated when Nilesh and his brother Sachin, both known for their criminal activities and influence in the region, personally intervened.
Accompanied by their gang members, they allegedly confronted the woman and forced her to transfer another ₹22.33 lakh to Kadam’s account under intimidation.
Fearing for her safety, she complied but remained silent for months before finally approaching the police after learning that Kadam never owned any dairy business at all.
Following her complaint, 13 individuals, including the Ghaywal brothers and Kadam, have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to extortion, unlawful assembly, wrongful restraint, and criminal intimidation.
A History of Violence and Lawlessness
This latest case adds to the growing list of criminal charges against the Ghaywal gang, which has been under intense police scrutiny since the September 17, 2024, road rage incident.
During that episode, the gang’s members allegedly opened fire on a man and attacked a student with sharp weapons in Kothrud, sparking panic in the locality.
Two FIRs were filed following those assaults, and the police subsequently invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) — a stringent law reserved for combating organized criminal syndicates.
Although several gang members were apprehended during subsequent raids, Nilesh Ghaywal managed to flee abroad, reportedly traveling to London and Switzerland last month using a fraudulently obtained passport.
The investigation revealed that Ghaywal had illegally secured a passport in Ahilyanagar district despite a police remark in 2020 stating he was “not available.”
He allegedly submitted a false affidavit concealing his criminal background and multiple ongoing cases.
Adding to his list of offenses, Ghaywal had also been directed by a court in 2022 to surrender his passport while securing bail — a directive he blatantly ignored. Despite this, no action was taken against him at the time, exposing gaps in enforcement.
Earlier this week, police registered yet another case under the Telecommunications Act, accusing him of fraudulently procuring a SIM card using another person’s identity, which he then used for illegal financial transactions.
Authorities have now initiated proceedings to cancel his passport and issued a Blue Notice through Interpol to facilitate his extradition.
Meanwhile, a manhunt continues for Sachin Ghaywal, who remains absconding in connection with another property-grabbing and extortion case filed by a Pune businessman.
With multiple investigations converging, the noose appears to be tightening around the Ghaywal brothers — once considered untouchable in Pune’s criminal network.
Their downfall, police officials say, is symbolic of the decline of local mafia networks that thrived on political connections, fear, and a culture of impunity.
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