MOCCA invoked against Sangli’s Koli gang

KOLHAPUR: Sangli police have invoked Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime (MCOCA) against five members of Santosh Koli gang. Inspector General (special) Suhas Warke has sanctioned a proposal in this regard.
Five members of the gang, including Santosh Mahadeo Koli (40), Shantkumar alsia Shantnu Mahadeo Koli (35), Hari Patgaonkar (39), Suraj Shahaji Diwse (29) and Sachin Kakasaheb Gaikwad (27), who have already been arrested, will now face MCOCA charges.
Miraj police inspector Raju Tashildar said that the gang was operating gambling dens at several places in Sangli, Miraj, MIDC and Kupwad and was involved in several other criminal activities.
Koli gang was also involved in private moneylending, police said, adding that the gang often intimidated people for recovery of principal amount and interest. Police said that Koli gang had amassed a lot of wealth and property by illegal means.
Around two months back, the Sangli police had arrested Sanjay Koli and others when a complaint was filed against them by Sanjay Mirajkar. The complainant said that he had taken Rs 51 lakh from Koli and had repaid more than Rs 2 crore; however, he was being continuously threatened.
According to police, Mirajkar had taken the said loan to start a business. In his complaint, Mirajkar said that Koli gang had threatened to get his kidney removed if he failed to give them money.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, Miraj police arrested three more people for threatening and assaulting a man who had taken money from nine people to start a photography business.