A special MCOCA court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has acquitted six individuals associated with gangster Ravi Pujari in a case involving organized crime, attempted murder, and extortion after over 16 years of trial.
Additional Special Judge AN Sirsikar of the court, handling cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA), stated that the prosecution had failed to substantiate the charges against the accused.
The court also acquitted two other defendants tried in the same case. Special Public Prosecutor Sanjay More informed the court that the accused allegedly stormed into the office of a construction company in Navi Mumbai in September 2006, demanding money and attempting to kill the accountant. Defence counsels Ramrao S Jagtap, Poonit Mahimkar, and Priyanka Bhosale contested the charges.
The judge highlighted inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case, particularly regarding the identification of the accused and the absence of a clear motive.
It further stated that the prosecution failed to establish that the accused committed the offense as members of an organized crime syndicate.
The court observed that there was no “evidence to demonstrate that the accused obtained property through pecuniary benefits derived from organized crime.” Judge Sirsikar also noted that charges were yet to be framed against two accused in the case, which was registered nearly 18 years ago.
