Pune: Nilesh Ghaywal, Five Others Acquitted In 2020 Extortion Case For Lack Of Evidence
Pune, 30th September 2026: A special MCOCA court has acquitted gangster Nilesh Ghaywal and five others in an extortion case dating back to 2020, citing lack of sufficient evidence. The court noted that the complainant, panch witnesses and other private witnesses had retracted their statements during the trial.
Those acquitted are Nilesh Ghaywal, Musa Sheikh, Akshay Gogawale, Kunal Kandhare, Santosh Chumal and Vipul Majhire. The accused were represented by senior advocate Vipul Dushing and advocates Ritesh Gadade, Anish Padekar, Bilal Maniyar and Salman Pathan.
According to the prosecution, Ghaywal was lodged in jail in connection with another case in 2020 when Santosh Chumal allegedly demanded extortion from the complainant, claiming that a jeep was required for a rally being organised for “Bhau”.
The case was investigated by the crime branch. However, the complainant later submitted an affidavit before the court alleging that police had pressured him into filing the complaint. He also approached the Bombay High Court through a writ petition and reiterated his stand. The High Court subsequently directed that his statement be recorded again.
During the fresh statement, the complainant denied the entire sequence of events alleged in the original complaint.
The prosecution examined 21 witnesses during the trial. However, the complainant, panch witnesses and all private witnesses allegedly did not support the prosecution’s case in court.
The complainant also alleged that police had forcibly taken him to the police commissionerate in a vehicle, seized his mobile phone and obtained his signatures on three to four blank documents.
In his judgment, special MCOCA judge S R Salunkhe observed that the accused could not be convicted of the alleged offences merely because they had criminal backgrounds. The court consequently acquitted all six accused in the absence of sufficient evidence.
