In a significant development, the Nagpur city police have invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999, against nine individuals accused in the shocking daylight murder of a local political functionary. The case, which has drawn considerable public and political attention, involves the brutal stabbing of 40-year-old Sachin alias Sonu Omprakash Shahu.
A Brazen Daylight Attack
The incident occurred on November 15 at around 1:30 PM near Itabhatti Chowk in Nagpur. According to police reports, masked assailants riding motorcycles targeted Shahu in a brazen attack. They stabbed him multiple times in the neck, chest, and stomach before fleeing the scene. The victim, a resident of Sahu Mohalla in Yashodhara Nagar and an active figure in local politics, succumbed to his injuries on the spot.
The murder led to immediate public outcry, with a road blockade staged by protesters at Itabhatti Chowk against the police. The case gained further traction due to the victim's political affiliations and allegations of prior police inaction on related complaints filed by the victim or his family.
Financial Dispute Turns Fatal
Investigations spearheaded by zonal DCP Niketan Kadam revealed that the motive behind the murder stemmed from a tangled financial dispute. Police stated that the victim, Sachin Shahu, had borrowed Rs 70,000 on interest from one of the prime accused, Tarvender Singh alias Sonu Singh Gaur (39). Shahu had repaid Rs 35,000 along with interest, leaving an outstanding amount of approximately Rs 25,000.
In a counter-transaction that complicated matters, Sonu Gaur and his associates allegedly borrowed a larger sum of Rs 3 lakh from Shahu. This led to escalating demands, threats, and ultimately, the violent confrontation. The victim's brother, Pradeep Omprakash Shahu (35), filed the formal complaint, naming accused Paramjit Singh Gaur alias Babu (27) and Sanket Purushottam Borikar (32) as key conspirators in the murder plot.
MCOCA Invoked, Hunt for Absconders On
Initially, the Yashodhara Nagar police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (including 103(1), 3(5)), the Arms Act, and the Maharashtra Police Act. However, as the probe deepened, investigators concluded that the crime was aimed at spreading terror, meeting the criteria for invoking the powerful MCOCA.
The police have applied clauses 3(1)(i)(ii), 3(2), 3(3), and 3(4) of MCOCA. So far, seven of the nine accused have been arrested. The arrested individuals are:
- Paramjit Singh Gaur alias Babu (27)
- Sonu Kodape (35)
- Amit Nikhare (35)
- Sanket Borikar (32)
- Vipin Meshram (39)
- Jitender Singh alias Bunty Rathod (46, from Telangana)
- Joginder Singh alias Rohit Bhatia (33, from Telangana)
A manhunt is underway for the two prime accused who remain absconding: Harjit Singh alias Situsingh Gaur (36) and Tarvender Singh alias Sonu Singh Gaur (39). Police have also identified another accused known by the name Lucky, whose details are being verified.
The invocation of MCOCA, typically used against organized crime syndicates, indicates the police's assessment of the accused operating in an organized manner with the intent to create fear. This legal move allows for stricter bail conditions, longer custody, and harsher penalties, marking a serious escalation in the police's response to this high-profile murder.
