37 criminals booked under PASA in Surat

Surat: To maintain law and order in the city and prevent any untoward incidents, Surat police commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut has initiated strict action under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act against habitual offenders and criminals.

In the past 15 days, the Commissionerate Police have detained 37 accused under PASA and shifted them to various jails in Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Bhuj. So far this year, a total of 352 criminals have been lodged in different jails across the state under preventive action.

Those detained include loan sharks, cyber fraudsters, Pocso offenders and prostitution racketeers.

Among them, notorious loan sharks Ramesh Tiwar and Vicky Chauhan have been sent to Bhuj and Rajkot jails respectively. Both were facing serious charges under the Gujarat Money Lenders Act registered with Dindoli and Amroli police stations.

Cyber fraud accused Naresh Manani and Uday Prajapati have also been shifted to Bhuj jail. Both were booked by Udhna and Dindoli police in connection with online cheating cases.

In another action, four accused booked in attempt-to-murder cases — Prakhar Mishra alias Boxer, Ajit Bhaliya, Nasir Sadhwani and Nikhil Yadav — have been sent to Rajkot and Ahmedabad jails. Their cases are registered across multiple police stations including Dindoli, Udhna, Utran, Varachha, Lalgate and Chowk Bazar.

Separately, two accused involved in child sexual abuse cases, Imran Shah and Gagan Maurya, have been lodged in Bhuj jail after being booked under the Pocso Act and BNS provisions.