Pune: Police arrest 3, recover indigenous arms, ammunition worth over Rs 8 lakh

In a breakthrough against illegal arms smuggling, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate has arrested three criminals and seized a cache of country-made firearms and ammunition worth Rs 8.76 lakh, officials said on Monday. The operation was carried out acting on a tip-off by a team of the Crime Branch.

According to Sandeep Doiphode, DCP Crime Branch Unit of Pimpri-Chinchwad Police, a focused crackdown was launched against illegal arms possession and trafficking within the city limits of Pimpri-Chinchwad, following which a team led by Senior Police Inspector Vijay Dhamal received credible intelligence that three suspects were moving suspiciously in a car without a number plate in the Talegaon Dabhade area and were possibly in possession of firearms. Police Constables Ganesh Sawant, Sumit Devkar, and Vinod Veer, acting on the information, laid a trap and intercepted the suspects near the Old Pune-Mumbai Highway.

Five country-made pistols, 20 live cartridges, two empty magazines, three mobile phones and a grey car were seized from their possession. The total value of the seized materials is estimated at Rs 8,76,000.

As per the police, the accused have been identified as Umesh Chandrakant Kedari (28), Manthan alias Guddu Ashok Satkar (28), and Vishal Jyotiram Khanekar (30), all residents of Pune. A case has been registered at Talegaon Dabhade Police Station under BNS Sections of Arms Act (3, 5, 25) and Maharashtra Police Act (37(1) read with 135). The court has remanded all three to police custody until June 4, 2027.

As per the police, preliminary investigations indicate that the accused had the arms to spread terror and for illegal trade. Further, police records reveal that the accused have serious criminal backgrounds. Umesh Kedari is involved in four previous cases, including one of murder. Manthan Satkar faces three charges, including an attempt to murder, and Vishal Khanekar has two cases registered against him. (ANI)

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