Ahmedabad, March 19 As part of an intensified crackdown on organised crime, the Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has identified 15 major bootleggers and gambling offenders across the state, compiling a list of their illegal properties slated for demolition, the police said on Wednesday.
An official statement from the SMC confirmed that under the directive of the Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, Gujarat's Director General of Police (DGP) Vikas Sahay, has ordered a 100-hour operation to take strict legal action against anti-social elements.
Acting on this directive, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nirlipt Rai, and the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP) K.T. Kamriya have identified 24 individuals engaged in bootlegging, gambling, and illegal mineral and chemical theft.
A total of 15 teams have been deployed across the state to act against unauthorised properties and encroachments linked to these offenders.
Following a thorough investigation, the SMC uncovered 19 illegal construction and encroachments associated with these 15 criminals.
The agency has submitted a proposal, backed by evidence, to the Municipal Commissioners of Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Surat, along with the Collectors and District Magistrates of Mehsana, Bharuch, Kutch, Surendranagar, and Junagadh, recommending immediate demolition of these properties.
The Police Commissioners and Superintendents of Police in the respective areas have also been alerted to ensure swift action.
The probe further revealed that Girish alias Tommy Unjha Parshottambhai Patel (Ahmedabad City, Mehsana), Altaf alias Chha Pingh Hanifbhai Them (Rajkot City), and Puna Bhanabhai Bharwad (Kutch) had rented out or occupied residential properties without notifying the police or district authorities, in violation of legal requirements.
Local police stations have been instructed to initiate action against them for failing to comply with notification norms.
Additionally, Sotajbhai Harisinh Yadav (Surendranagar), a known mineral theft offender, was caught stealing electricity through an illegal connection at his residence.
The Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) promptly disconnected his power supply and registered a case against him at the PGVCL Post Office in Surendranagar.
The SMC, in its official statement, highlighted that all legal measures, including property demolition and criminal charges, have been executed within just 72 hours as part of the ongoing operation to curb organised crime in Gujarat.
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