Absconding accused in attack on Nagpur gangster held at Shegaon railway station

Nagpur: A fugitive accused of involvement in the attempt to kill Nagpur gangster Sheikh Akram alias Bhuru Sheikh Rehman, who had evaded the police in several cities, has finally been caught. Crime Branch Unit-2 arrested him at Shegaon railway station on Tuesday. He is Sheikh Mohsin alias Baba Tiger alias Musa, and he was brought to Nagpur late at night for further investigation.

Bhuru Sheikh, 42, who lives in Anand Nagar in Sitabuldi, was attacked on August 11. Mohsin had been absconding since then. The police allege that Mohsin was part of an organised gang that plotted to kill Bhuru.

According to the police, Bhuru was targeted at around 11.30 pm on August 11 in front of Hotel Memories near Somalwada Chowk. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Salim (36) is alleged to have driven an SUV, registration number MH-40/CH-4777, into Bhuru and fled. Hotel staff informed the police and Bhuru's family, and Bhuru was then taken for treatment. He has been under medical care since the attack.

In the investigation, the police arrested Sharif along with Shahbaz Khan alias Salman Billa Khan (25, Taj Nagar, Mankapur), Aamir Bashir Sheikh (35, Zingabai Takli), Mohammad Sahil Altaf Ansari (28) and Mohammad Toufiq Sheikh Mohammad Arif (28).

The police allege that Sharif had learnt that Bhuru frequently stays at Hotel Memories and sometimes goes there alone at night. He passed this information to his associates, and the gang then planned the attack, the police say.

The accused are alleged to operate as an organised crime gang and several cases are registered against them. The police therefore invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case. Mohsin, however, managed to stay underground.

The hunt for Mohsin took the police to several places. They first received information that he was hiding at Khaparkheda in Nagpur Rural, and a search was carried out in that area, which yielded nothing. Later, acting on fresh leads, police teams went to Akola twice.

The investigation then brought up the name of Ajmer Sharif, but Mohsin is said to have left before the police team arrived. According to other information, he had boarded a train heading towards Nagpur. The police immediately alerted the Railway Protection Force and the train was checked, but he had slipped away by then.

Finally, Crime Branch personnel kept a covert watch at Shegaon railway station. Officers in plain clothes watched the passengers and the coaches, waiting to be sure Mohsin was there.

According to the police, he was spotted during a check of a general coach reserved for women. He allegedly tried to run on seeing the police. The officers chased him and surrounded him from different sides, leaving him no way to escape.

Mohsin was taken into custody and brought to Nagpur late on Tuesday night. Crime Branch officers are now questioning him to find out what his alleged role in the attack was and whether he was involved in other crimes linked to the organised gang.