Surat: City police have invoked the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (GujCTOC) Act against nine members of the alleged Rakesh Wagh gang, including its leader, Rakesh Wagh, in connection with a robbery case.

The Sachin police and the Assistant Commissioner of Police (I Division) sought the court’s permission to invoke the GujCTOC Act in the case. After the court granted approval, police arrested Wagh and two of his associates from Lajpore Central Jail. The three have been remanded in police custody until June 29.

The accused booked under the Act are Rakesh Wagh, Subodh Ramani, Raj Patil, Sefar Ansari, Prince Patel, Roshan Barkash, Anand Patil, Rohan Rathod and Anil Sapkale.

As per the police, the gang has a long history of criminal activity. Together, the nine accused are facing more than 75 offences, including cases of robbery, loot, extortion, theft, violations of the Arms Act, prohibition offences and criminal intimidation.

Wagh alone has 24 criminal cases registered against him. Since 2023, the Surat Police Commissioner has detained him four times under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act. Police have arrested Wagh, Ansari and Ramani from Lajpore Central Jail on transfer warrants in the GujCTOC case and obtained their custody until June 29. Raj Patil and Roshan Barkash are absconding, while the remaining four accused are already in jail and will be formally arrested in this case soon. DeshGujarat