A history-sheeter with a string of serious offences registered against him in Navi Mumbai was arrested from Goa on Saturday night in a joint operation between the Navi Mumbai and Goa police.
According to police officials, the accused, Vikrant Deshmukh, is behind a series of crimes, mostly focused in the Ulwe area.
"With a new airport slated to be built in Ulwe, real estate prices in the area have been on the rise and Deshmukh was capitalising on this by extorting builders and businessmen from the area. The cases registered against him range from murder, extortion, kidnapping, assault, and criminal intimidation," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Sureshkumar Mengade, Navi Mumbai Crime Branch.
Mengade further added that he was booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and added that the police had been on his trail since he was most wanted in a murder case registered with Nerul police.
Through consistent technical and human intelligence, the Navi Mumbai crime branch finally confirmed that he was in Goa and sent a team there earlier this week.
The team worked in collaboration with the Panaji police and on Saturday night intercepted Deshmukh just as he was about to enter the Majestic Pride casino in Panjim.
"We searched the accused and found that he was carrying a pistol and five live rounds, after which a case was registered against him with the Panaji police. They arrested him and he has been remanded in their custody for four days, after which we will seek his custody and bring him to Navi Mumbai," Mengade said.
The police will first seek his custody in connection with the Nerul murder case and later in the other cases registered against him. The police have also found that several of his victims have still not registered complaints against him due to fear. They have appealed to people to come forward and lodge formal complaints, so that action can be taken against him.
