Pune MCOCA court refuses Ganesh Marne entry into city in Sharad Mohol murder case

The special MCOCA court in Pune has refused to allow Ganesh Nivrutti Marne, the main accused in the murder of gangster Sharad Mohol, to enter Pune city. Marne had sought relaxation of a bail condition under which he cannot set foot in the city. The court rejected the plea, which means he cannot enter Pune for now.

All the accused in the Sharad Mohol murder case have been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Considering the gravity of the crime, the court, while granting Marne bail on May 7, 2026, had imposed a condition that he would not enter Pune. The bar was to apply for three years or until the end of the trial, whichever was earlier. He was exempted only to attend court hearings or when summoned by the investigating agency.

In his plea, Marne said his family and business are in Pune, his three children study in the city, and he has to come here to look after his elderly mother. He also argued that a similar restriction had been relaxed in the case of a co-accused.

The prosecution and the Mohol family strongly opposed the plea. Special Public Prosecutor Pradeepsingh Rajput, along with advocates Kheta Ram Solanki, Sanket Rao, Tejas Sawant and Bhanudas Koli, appointed on behalf of the Mohol family, presented their arguments in court.

The lawyers drew the court's attention to Marne's criminal record in Pune, the serious cases registered against him and the gravity of the Sharad Mohol murder. They said that if Marne came to the city, the complainant and key witnesses could be pressured or threatened, and even their lives could be in danger.

The court was also told that two rival gangs have been active in Pune. Given this history, they argued, Marne's arrival could reignite gang war and create a law-and-order problem. It was argued that allowing a person with a serious criminal background into the city would affect not only the trial but also the safety of witnesses and the peace of the city. The court took Marne's criminal record and the apprehension of pressure on witnesses seriously.

Special MCOCA Judge H. M. Bhosale rejected the plea after considering the arguments of both sides and the material on record. In the order, the court noted that seven serious criminal cases are already registered against Marne. It also recorded that he is the leader of a rival gang in Pune and that, after Sharad Mohol was killed, the attackers had said they belonged to Marne's gang.

The court clarified that the condition barring him from Pune was not imposed arbitrarily or without thought. It was based on the presence of two rival gangs in the city, their widespread network in criminal activity and the possibility of influencing witnesses.

The court further said that only five months had passed since the condition was imposed and there had been no major change in circumstances. The pleas of family responsibility and business therefore did not outweigh the serious objections of the prosecution. On November 7, 2026, the special MCOCA court rejected application number 144 in Special Case No. 616/2024 and upheld the bar on Ganesh Nivrutti Marne entering Pune city.

The ruling brings relief to the complainant and witnesses in the Sharad Mohol murder case in terms of safety. The court also maintained its stance that restrictions on the accused's movement should continue during the trial.