MCOCA invoked against seven arrested over firing at Congress corporator Shubham Motghare's Nagpur home

Nagpur Police have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against seven accused arrested in the firing at the home of Congress corporator Shubham Motghare. Police said the inquiry pointed to the alleged role of an organised gang, after which MCOCA provisions were added. The incident in Shravan Nagar had caused considerable stir in political and criminal circles.

According to police, the action was taken with the permission of senior officers. Sections 3(1)(ii), 3(2) and 3(4) of MCOCA have been applied to the accused. The Act aims to curb organised crime, and action under it makes a case legally more serious. However, the application of MCOCA does not mean the accused have been proven guilty. Their guilt will be decided only on the basis of evidence produced in court and the judicial process.

The incident took place at about 12.42 am on the night of August 26, 2026. Motghare was in the hall on the upper floor of his house in Shravan Nagar, under Bhandewadi police station limits, when a gunshot was heard towards the gallery. The bullet pierced a glass pane in the gallery and passed through. Panic spread in the area, and police began an investigation.

Police went through footage from nearby CCTV cameras. It showed two youths on a moped heading towards Swami Narayan Mandir Marg. Based on this footage and other technical evidence, police tried to trace the attackers. Early inquiries raised the suspicion that a conspiracy to target the corporator could be behind the firing, and the investigation proceeded in that direction.

Bhandewadi police registered a case and began the investigation. It later emerged that on September 4, 2026, the probe was handed to Crime Branch Unit 5. The Crime Branch examined the role of the accused on the basis of technical analysis and available evidence, and then arrested seven people.

The investigation has alleged that Vishal alias Fally Gupta, a resident of Shravan Nagar who is absconding, allegedly gave Ankush and Rishabh a contract to fire at the corporator's house. According to police, the names of Ashok alias Baba Yadav, Saheli Pandhram alias Sonu and Aniket alias Annu Bihare have also come up in the alleged conspiracy. Vishal alias Fally Gupta is currently reported to be absconding.

The seven arrested are Ankush Janak Tomaskar (30), Rishabh alias Rishi Vishal Nagdeve (24), Amit Madhukar Thakre (22), Kartik Babloo Tomaskar (26), Rishabh Bhagwati Pethel (30), Ketan Durgaprasad Mate (24) and Romit alias Fullya Muneshwar Wahane (21). According to available information, all seven are lodged in Nagpur Central Jail.

During the investigation, police recovered a country-made pistol and live cartridges worth about Rs 60,000 from the accused. Police are now examining the use of the weapon, contacts among the accused and their alleged roles in the incident. The investigating agency is also looking at how the accused came into contact, who played what role and in what circumstances the conspiracy was hatched.

The action is being seen as significant amid the measures against criminals being taken in the city under Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangare-Patil. Police now face the task of taking further action against the absconding accused and probing all aspects of the alleged conspiracy. The role of each accused and the allegations remain to be confirmed.