The Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai arrested a 31-year-old murder accused and a member of Vikrant Deshmukh alias Vicky from Gavan Village near Ulwe node on Sunday evening. The accused was on the run for four years. The accused, identified as Rakesh Janardhan Koli, along with accomplices, allegedly kidnapped and murdered Nerul resident Sachin Garje in September 2019. A murder case was registered against him at the Nerul police station at that time.
A team of police officials from the Crime Branch set up a trap in Gavan village and caught him on Sunday. "Koli was one of the individuals implicated in the murder of Sachin Garje, and he had been evading authorities since the commission of the crime," stated a police official from the Crime Branch. According to the police, Koli was an active member of the notorious criminal Vikrant Deshmukh's gang, known for its involvement in several kidnapping, murder, extortion, and dacoity crimes. They kidnapped Garje from Nerul and murdered him. Later, they disposed of the body in Uran creek," said the official.
Earlier, Deshmukh was arrested by the Goa police after the Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai police provided specific information in August 2022. Deshmukh was caught while attempting to flee from a casino in Goa.The arrested accused was absconded after a murder case registered against him in 2019 at Nerul police and he was wanted in several cases including extortion, kidnapping, murder, and dacoity registered against him at different police stations.
"Deshmukh, a resident of Gavan village in Panvel Taluka, along with others, was involved in crimes including murder, attempted murder, robbery, extortion, and kidnapping. "Due to ongoing development work for the Navi Mumbai airport, land prices in adjoining areas appreciated, and Deshmukh was involved in extortion cases targeting developers," said an official from the Crime Branch. He further added that Deshmukh specifically targeted developers with projects in Ulwe node, adjacent to the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport, and Gavan village, where he resided.