Crime branch sleuths nab absconding gangster

Pune: The city crime branch on Wednesday nabbed gangster Rohidas Ananta Chorge, who had been absconding for the last six months after being booked under Maharashstra Control of Organised Crime Act. Chorge was caught along with his two accomplices at Vangani village in Velhe Taluka, about 60 km from here.
A crime branch team led by inspector Ram Jadhav arrested Chorge along with his accomplices Sopan Chorge and Rahul Chorge while they were on their way to a yatra at a local temple.
Rohidas has six cases, including those of murder, dacoity and extortion, registered against him. Sopan has four cases while Rahul has two cases registered against him.
Jadhav said, "The trio had abducted a businessman from Velha and demanded Rs 8 lakh from him in July last year. They had also robbed the businessman of gold ornaments worth Rs 50,000 before dumping him at a secluded spot. "The three were booked under MCOCA after this incident," Jadhav added.
Jadhav said all of them were staying in a secluded spot near Vangani. "Our teams had been trying to trace them for the last six months. We nabbed them after receiving a tip-off," Jadhav added.
Rohidas Chorge and his accomplices had hacked to death a real estate agent, Sandeep Bandal, in Kothrud in February 2008. He was in judicial custody when he escaped from the Sassoon general hospital where he was brought for treatment in November 2011.
Later in February 2012, Chorge opened fire on a person who was coming out of the court after attending a hearing in the Bandal murder case. A crime branch team led by inspector Bhanupratap Barge had arrested him, then, from Vangani.
Chorge had been operating his crime syndicate after he was released on bail.