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TOI : PUNE: Ex-corporator Datta Sagre, a suspect in the land-grabbing case along with corporator Deepak Mankar, surrendered before the crime branch on Saturday morning.

Additional commissioner of police (crime) Prabhat Kumar said, “We arrested Sagre on Saturday evening after ascertaining his identity.”

Sagre was booked on June 14 by the Khadak police along with suspended Congress leader and corporator Deepak Mankar, builder Sudhir Karnataki and Sadhana Vartak for their alleged involvement in land grabbing cases.

Meanwhile, the investigations in Yashwant Natu’s land grab case of Shukrawar Peth have been transferred to crime branch. Inspector Kishore Jadhav of the anti-extortion cell is in-charge of the case.

Explaining Sagre’s role in the case, inspector Jadhav said that according to Yashwant Natu’s complaint, he lived in a joint family with with three other members at the Shukrawar Peth house. Though other members sold their shares to Karnataki, Yashwant continued to stay in the house. But, the builder wanted to purchase his part of property as well. However, Yashwant refused to sell his share. On February 6, 2008, Karnataki and Sagre forcibly entered the house with 40 men and demolished two rooms of the tenants and an out house. On the next day, Sagre, Karnataki and Vartak again entered Natu’s house and told Natu to vacate the property or face consequences.

They repeated the threats on February 26 and 28. On the same night around 12.30 am some unidentified people threw empty beer bottles at Natu’s house. Natu’s wife contacted the police and the Khadak police detained the suspects. When Natu went to Fadgate police chowkey to lodge the complaint he saw Sagre near the chowkey.

Prabhat Kumar said, “As per Natu’s complaint, Sagre and his 30 to 40 associates threatened him and also threw bottles at his house. We will investigate and try to ascertain the identity of these suspects,” Prabhatkumar said adding, “Sagre will be produced…More