In a decisive move ahead of the crucial Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, the city police have established a dedicated special squad. This unit's primary mandate is to closely monitor the activities of known gangsters, particularly those attempting to contest the polls or influence the electoral process.
Election Watch: A Squad to Counter Gangster Influence
Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar, addressing an annual press conference on Monday, December 29, 2025, revealed the formation of this specialized team. He emphasized that the squad was created to stop criminal elements from exerting any "direct or indirect pressure on the people" during the democratic exercise. The trigger for this action is the unprecedented situation where members of a notorious "gangster family" sought to enter the electoral fray.
Kumar stated that the police have prepared and circulated an updated list of gangsters and their associates to all police units for constant surveillance. "The special squad will keep an eye on those gangsters who will either be contesting the civic polls or participate in the election campaign of other candidates in the city," he declared.
The Andekar Gang's Controversial Bid for Power
The police action comes directly after dreaded gangster Bandu Andekar (70), currently imprisoned in Yerwada jail for murder, along with two female family members, received court permission to contest the PMC elections. On December 27, Andekar, his sister-in-law Lakshmi Udaykant Andekar (60), and daughter-in-law Sonali Vanraj Andekar (35) were taken under heavy police security to the Bhavani Peth ward office to file their nominations.
Their nomination forms, however, were incomplete and rejected by election officials. They have the chance to re-submit on Tuesday, the final day for nominations. A video from the incident showed Andekar, tied with a rope by police, raising his hand in a victory sign and shouting slogans like "neki ka kaam, Andekar ka naam" and claiming he was a candidate, not a gangster.
This event is part of a violent family feud within the Andekar gang. The police stated that Andekar's grandson, Ayush Komkar, was murdered on September 5 this year in Bhavani Peth, allegedly by the gang to avenge the killing of Andekar's son and former NCP corporator, Vanraj Andekar, in September last year. Ayush's father is a key accused in Vanraj's murder. In the Ayush Komkar case, police have arrested 16 individuals, including Bandu Andekar and his family members.
Crushing the Gangster Ecosystem: Frozen Accounts and Seized Properties
Commissioner Kumar asserted that the police are systematically destroying the "ecosystem" and "economic foundation" of the city's major gangs. Comprehensive data reveals the scale of this financial crackdown undertaken throughout 2025:
Andekar Gang: Police froze 40 bank accounts linked to the family. They seized 52 properties worth Rs 1.31 crores and demolished seven illegal structures. A total of 54 individuals from the gang were arrested in 12 cases, with the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) invoked in four cases.
Nilesh Ghaywal Gang: The fugitive gangster, who allegedly fled to the UK on an illegal passport in September, has 18 family bank accounts frozen. Legal action has been initiated against 26 properties. Nine of his associates were arrested in 11 cases, with MCOCA applied in five.
Gajanan Marne Gang: Authorities arrested 28 members in seven cases (one under MCOCA), froze one bank account, and identified 17 properties for legal action.
Tipu Pathan Gang: In a major operation in June, police gunned down gang member Shahrukh Shaikh in Solapur. Tipu Pathan and 15 others were arrested in four cases (two under MCOCA). Six bank accounts were frozen, and two illegal properties worth Rs 27.75 lakh were demolished.
In total, 65 bank accounts linked to these four major gangs were frozen between January and December 2025. Kumar also warned that action is being taken against individuals who glorify gangsters on social media platforms, aiming to curb their influence beyond physical intimidation.
