Nagpur: The City Police have invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against a notorious gangster, who is also the husband of a sitting Corporator, and his entire criminal network, after investigations revealed that a brutal attempt to murder BJP leader Bhushan Shingane during the recent Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections was not an isolated act of violence but a calculated, organised crime operation with political overtones.
The accused, Ghui alias Ganesh Anandrao Chacherkar (40), a resident of Old Basti in the Gorewada area, has long been on the police radar as a habitual offender. Following an in-depth probe, MCOCA was also slapped against his associates, including Mangesh Ramesh Mange, Nitesh alias Nitin Bagde, Amit Vijay Meshram, Ashish Namdev Bhad, Ankush Vijay Koche, Roshan Dilip Parteki, Rahul Nirbhay Athrokar, Yogesh Dilip Kapse, Piyush alias Bachcha Bhongade, Sudhir Bhaurao Dhumal, Chetan Pandurang Yuvanate, Sumit Naresh Jamgade, Tarun Vinod Bamnere and Nilesh alias Anna Brijlal Uike — all residents of Gorewada and Kalmeshwar areas.
Gold Rate
28 Jan 2026
Addressing a press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Nityanand Jha said the attack was directly linked to the high-voltage municipal elections held earlier this month. Bhushan Shingane was contesting as the BJP candidate from Ward 11, while Chacherkar’s wife was in the fray as a Congress candidate and eventually won. Investigators found that political rivalry and escalating tensions during the campaign formed the immediate backdrop to the attack.
According to police, on the night of January 15, close to midnight, Chacherkar allegedly led an armed assault in the Gorewada area, targeting Shingane and his associates, Praveen Namdevrao Mate (49) and Rupesh Sitaram Thakre (54), both residents of Borgaon. The attackers allegedly opened a murderous attack, but the victims narrowly escaped with their lives.
Gang network, criminal history exposed
While several gang members were arrested soon after the incident, Chacherkar managed to evade arrest and remained absconding during the crucial phase of the probe. He later surrendered before police on January 17, shortly after his wife’s electoral victory, a timing that raised further questions during the investigation.
Senior Police Inspector Kailash Deshmane of Gittikhadan Police Station carried out a detailed analysis of the gang’s criminal antecedents. The probe revealed a pattern of organised criminal activity, with multiple serious cases registered against the accused, including offences under the Gambling Prevention Act and other penal laws. Police said the repeated nature of offences and the gang’s structured operations met the legal threshold for invoking MCOCA.
Based on the findings, DCP Jha submitted a detailed proposal seeking permission to apply MCOCA. The proposal received approval from Commissioner of Police Dr Ravinder Kumar Singal on Tuesday, paving the way for tougher legal action.
All the accused have now been arrested, and police officials said further investigation is underway to examine the gang’s financial networks, political connections and possible involvement in other organised crimes.
