Pune Police Book Two Lawyers for Obstructing Search at Gangster-Linked Building

Pune: Samarth police have registered a case against two lawyers for allegedly obstructing officials on duty during a search operation at a residential building linked to the family of gangster Bandu Andekar. The raid was carried out on December 15 at a flat in the four-storey building Hich Aichi Ichha, owned by Tushar Wadekar and Swaraj Wadekar, grandsons of Andekar.

According to the police, the search was part of an extortion cell investigation based on specific intelligence that Tanmay Ganesh Kamble, allegedly in contact with the Andekar gang, was in possession of a firearm and was preparing to commit an offence with other gang members. Kamble, who was detained, told investigators that he had kept the pistol with a minor, following which the police launched a search at the Wadekar-owned premises.

The case against advocates Mithun Sunil Chavan and Prashant Chandrashekhar Pawar was registered following a complaint by constable Prafulla Baban Chavan of the anti-extortion cell. Police said that while a tenant’s flat in the building was being searched in the presence of panch witnesses, with video recording and e-evidence, the two lawyers allegedly arrived at the spot and opposed the operation.

Police claimed the advocates questioned the legality of the search, used aggressive language, gestured threateningly at officers, and repeatedly interrupted the proceedings despite being informed that the action was lawful. Their conduct allegedly created hurdles in the ongoing work. Based on these allegations, Samarth police booked the two lawyers.

During the raid, police seized two country-made pistols, an air gun, silver ornaments, cash, and documents, collectively valued at around ₹37.4 lakh. The seized items include cash worth ₹17.15 lakh and silver articles valued at over ₹18.8 lakh. Police said further investigation is underway to trace the source of the weapons and valuables.