Pune Gangster Nilesh Ghaywal Traced to London on Visitor Visa

The British High Commission in India has confirmed that fugitive gangster Nilesh Ghaywal, wanted in several serious cases including murder and extortion, is currently in London on a visitor visa. This news comes as a significant breakthrough in the efforts to track down Ghaywal, who has been evading law enforcement for years.

The Commission has also notified UK authorities that Ghaywal’s Indian passport has been revoked, according to Pune Police officials. A notorious Pune-based gangster with a history of violent crimes, Ghaywal is believed to have fled India using a fraudulently obtained passport.

The Pune Police, who had long suspected his presence in the United Kingdom, formally reached out to the British High Commission seeking his detention and deportation. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam said, “We have received a reply from the High Commission confirming that Ghaywal is in London on a visitor visa and has travelled there to meet his son. They have also informed us that the UK authorities have been notified about the cancellation of his passport.”

Before disappearing, Ghaywal had been booked in a September 18 road rage case in Pune’s Kothrud area, where his associates allegedly opened fire and injured a man. A lookout circular and a Blue Corner Notice have already been issued against him through Interpol. “We believe Ghaywal went to the UK as his son resides there. We have sought information from the British High Commission regarding how he obtained his visa, the duration of his stay, the type of visa issued, and its expiry date,” a senior officer said.

Ghaywal’s criminal career began in 1999 when he was first arrested in an extortion case registered at the Kothrud police station. By 2001, he had three more cases to his name, including one for murder. Once an associate of gangster Gajanan Marne, he later split from him, turning into a rival, according to a report in Indian Express.

His infamy surged following a violent shootout in Pune’s Dattawadi area on May 9, 2010. According to police, Ghaywal and his gang members chased rivals from the Marne gang for nearly two kilometres and fired multiple rounds near the Dattawadi police chowky. One man, Sachin Kudle, was killed, and his brother, Atul Kudle, was critically injured. The Dattawadi shootout—often cited in police circles as part of the “Dattawadi files”, marked Ghaywal’s rise as a dominant figure in Pune’s gang underworld and led to his arrest in July that year.

Over the years, Ghaywal has been booked in more than 20 criminal cases, including murder, extortion, land grabbing, and offences under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Police allege that his gang forcibly took over properties at gunpoint, engaged in illegal arms possession, and intimidated local businessmen. Recent investigations suggest he tampered with his personal details to secure a fake passport and flee the country.