Corporator arrested for buying firearms illegally

Pimpri-Chinchwad corporator Bhima Bobade alleges plot by political rivals to malign his image

Corporator arrested for buying firearms illegally

Pimpri-Chinchwad corporator Bhima Bobade alleges plot by political rivals to malign his image

The Nigdi police have finally caught Pimpri-Chinchwad corporator Bhima Bobade, who had gone into hiding ever since a theft suspect said the politician had purchased firearms from him last week. According to PI Nandkishor Bhosale Patil, a trap was laid at a restaurant in Durga Chowk after the police received a tip-off that Bobade would be arriving there on Sunday night.

Finally caught: Bhima Bobade was produced in the Pimpri court
yesterday. Pic/Navnath Kaple

Bobade, who was produced in the Pimpri court yesterday, claimed innocence and said the whole thing was a plot by his political rival to malign his name. The Nigdi police chose not to comment on Bobade's remarks, only saying the truth will come out only after the inquiry.

Bobade was remanded in police custody till July 13. Bobade's name had cropped up in the illegal firearm case after the Nigdi police rounded up a theft suspect, Anup Sonawane (21) of Nigdi, who spilled the beans on Bobade's purchase of the firearms. The police had gone on to arrest four accomplices of Sonawane and seized a pistol, three revolvers and seven cartridges from them.

The arrested suspects were Dinesh Yadav (20) of Talawde, Mohammad Raza Shamshuddin Shaikh (22) of Bhosari, Dinanath Gupta (20) of Chikali and Prajwal Ghodke (30) of Bhavani Peth. Sonawane's arrest in the theft case took place on July 1. During interrogation, Sonawane revealed the names of his accomplices. "Sonawane also told the police that he had paid them (the accomplices) Rs 30,000 for purchasing firearms from Bihar for sale in Pune," PI Bhosale-Patil said.

According to the information given by Sonawane and another suspect, Atankumar Yadav (24) of Talawde, they were looking for a customer and met Bobade through a friend named Turu Kamare. They told the police that they had sold a pistol to the corporator for Rs 70,000. "They tested the pistol in the presence of Bobade by firing two rounds in the air on a hill near Somatane Phata," a police officer said. Bobade and the others were charged with offence under the Arms Act.