The Pune city police submitted a 6,455-page case file before a special court against nine members of a gang led by Fugitive gangster Nilesh Ghaywal for allegedly trying to murder an innocent man by shooting bullets at him in Kothrud area of Pune city in September last year.
The victim Prakash Madhukar Dhumal (36), a resident of Ganesh Nagar, Wakad, had lodged the first information report (FIR) in this case at the Kothrud police station.
Police said Ghaywal is believed to be currently in the United Kingdom. He is alleged to have fled the country with a fraudulently obtained passport. Last month, a court of Pune had proclaimed gangster Nilesh Ghaywal as a fugitive. Police said they are trying to nab Ghaywal and bring him to India with the help of Interpol.
The police had intensified action against the Ghaywal gang after its members allegedly opened fire on Dhumal around 11.40 pm on September 17, 2025. After a few minutes, around 11.50 pm, the Ghaywal gang members also allegedly attacked a 19-year-old student, Vaibhav Sathe, with a sharp weapon at Sagar Colony in Kothrud.
Police said investigation into the crime filed by Dhumal had revealed that during the Ganesh festival on September 9, 2025 (Ganesh idol immersion day), Ghaywal and his gang members had allegedly conspired to commit the crime.
Police said Ghaywal allegedly told his gang members that their terror had subsided in the Kothrud area. Ghaywal then allegedly asked his aides to do “Dhamaka (to carry out attacks)” in the Kothrud area to increase fear, police said.
According to the investigation, Ghaywal assured that he will provide weapons and cash, as well as legal support to his members so that they continue committing crimes. Consequently, he allegedly supplied firearms and funds to those who attacked Dhumal, police said.
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the attack
According to the FIR filed by Dhumal, he works as a “senior technician” in a private company in Nal Stop area. On the night of September 17, he and his co-workers went to a dinner at a hotel in Khed Shivapur.
After the party, Dhumal reached Kothrud area on a four-wheeler to drop a colleague near Mutheshwar Mitra Mandal chowk in Kothrud around 11 pm.
Then, while he was talking to his friends at the scene, six men on two motorcycles intercepted them around 11:40 p.m. They shouted and abused Dhumal and his friends. Then Dhumal questioned them. But one of them took out a gun and opened fire on Dhumal. A bullet pierced Dhumal’s leg, leaving him injured on the spot.
Investigation revealed that the man who shot Dhumal was Mayur Kumbre, a member of the Nilesh Ghaywal gang. Police seized a domestically manufactured pistol used in the crime, along with a spent cartridge. Additionally, police seized two live and four spent cartridges during a search at Ghaywal’s house.
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During the investigation, the police arrested nine people, including Kumbre, under Articles 109, 351, 352, 189(1), 189(2), 189(4), 190, 191(2), 111(1), 111(2), 111(3), 111(4), 111(6), 111(7), 61(2), 49, 3(5) and sections of the Indian Arms Act. On September 25, the police invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) in this case. The search continues for eight defendants wanted in this case. The chargesheet against nine arrested accused was submitted before the special court for MCOCA cases in Pune on January 12, police said.
As the investigation against Ghaywal intensified, he revealed that he allegedly traveled abroad using a passport he obtained illegally. Police said Ghaywal had applied for a tatkal passport at the regional passport office in Pune in 2019, mentioning that he was a resident of ‘Gauri Ghumat, Anandi Bazar, Maliwada Road, Ahmednagar (now renamed Ahilyanagar)’ and changing the spelling of his name to Gaiwal.
Unable to locate him at this address, the Ahilyanagar police entered a “not available” comment in his application, which was sent to the passport office in Pune on January 16, 2020. Despite this, Ghaywal was issued a passport, with which he left India and traveled to the United Kingdom on a visitor visa, the police said.
Meanwhile, in response to a communication from the Pune city police, the British High Commission confirmed in October that Ghaywal was located in the United Kingdom. British officials also contacted the relevant UK authorities for Ghaywal’s detention and deportation.
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The Pune city police have also written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) about Ghaywal’s benami properties and alleged money laundering through multiple companies, bank accounts and properties and have sought prosecution of Ghaywal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Since September, the police have filed 11 cases against the Ghaywal gang, of which MCOCA was invoked in five. Police said 18 bank accounts of the Ghaywal family were frozen and legal action was initiated against 26 properties linked to the gang.
Police said they had contacted the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to take action against two illegal buildings constructed by Nilesh Ghaywal and his brother Sachin, a teacher and alleged gang member, who is also absconding.