Pune Gangster Nilesh Ghaywal, Associates Acquitted in 2020 Extortion Case
A Pune special MCOCA court has acquitted Nilesh Ghaywal and his associates in a 2020 extortion case. The complainant denied the original allegations and claimed police had pressured him into filing the complaint. Other witnesses also reportedly did not support the prosecution's account.
Pune: A special court hearing cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) has acquitted Nilesh Ghaywal and his associates in a 2020 extortion case after the complainant withdrew support for the allegations made in the original complaint.
The case involved allegations that Santosh Dhumal had demanded a vehicle from the complainant for a rally associated with Ghaywal's brother while Ghaywal was in prison.
Complainant Denies Original Allegations
During the court proceedings, the complainant denied that the incident had occurred as described in his original complaint. He also alleged that police had pressured him into filing the case.
The Bombay High Court had previously directed police to record the complainant's statement again.
With the complainant no longer supporting the original allegations, the special MCOCA court acquitted Ghaywal and the other accused in the case.
Separate Kothrud Case and Overseas Travel
Ghaywal has also been linked to a separate case registered in Kothrud. According to reports, he left India after allegedly using a passport containing a different spelling of his surname, which reportedly enabled him to travel to Europe.
A Red Corner Notice was subsequently issued against him in connection with the Kothrud case.
The acquittal concerns the 2020 extortion case and does not determine the outcome of the separate proceedings.