Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) has been invoked against five people, including a sacked policeman, who are facing robbery charges, police said today.
The five are members of a criminal gang which had been active in Jalna and Buldhana districts of Maharashtra.
The policeman, Shivaji Satwaji Bhagde (28), a resident of Sewli near here, is the gang leader, they said.
The other four are Badri Sonaji Shrikhand (26), Digambar Vittalrao Khade (28), Lahu Pundit Jadhav (28) and Dnyaneshwar Namdev Kharat (24).
Bhagde, who was suspended from police force on charges of dereliction, later got involved in criminal activities and formed the gang, which carried out robberies and looting, they said.
Besides being involved in two bank robberies, the gang members were also linked to many crimes in Jalna and Buldhana, police said.
The Jalna police sent a proposal to Inspector General of Police (Aurangabad) Amitesh Kumar for slapping MCOCA against the gang and it was accepted. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Dikshitkumar Gedam is looking into the case.
