PUNE: In a significant action against organised cybercrime, the Pimpri-Chinchwad police on Tuesday invoked the stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against a nine-member gang allegedly involved in multiple cyber fraud cases.
According to police officials, this is the first time that MCOCA has been applied in a cybercrime case in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The action was taken under the guidance of police commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey.
The case came to light after a senior citizen was duped of over ₹11 crore through a fake online trading application. A case was registered at the cyber police station on February 20, 2026, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
During the probe, police found that the defrauded amount was routed through multiple bank accounts. Authorities have so far managed to freeze ₹2.65 crore.
Investigations revealed that the gang was active across several regions, including Mumbai, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and parts of Madhya Pradesh. The accused allegedly used digital platforms and international channels to execute fraud and convert the fraud amount into foreign currencies.
Police said the gang operated in an organised manner, creating fake trading platforms, luring victims with promises of high returns, and siphoning off funds through layered transactions.
The cyber cell arrested Abhay Patil, 34, from Kolhapur; Shivtej Pote, 30, from Wagholi; and Yuvraj Mudliyar, 35, from Lohegaon; Ronny Girigoswami, 24, Prahlad Gadari, 23, and Umesh Bhatt, 21, from Rajasthan; Mahesh Udchane, 28, and Rahul Maurya, 24, from Dahisar East, Mumbai; and Sheikh Abdul Rashid, 26, from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Police invoked MCOCA Sections 3(1)(ii) and 3(4) against all nine accused.
The proposal to invoke MCOCA was submitted by Ravikiran Nale, senior inspector, cyber police station, and approved by senior police officers after detailed scrutiny of the case documents.
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