The recent facilitation of newly elected MP Nilesh Lanke from Sharad Pawar-led NCP by notorious gangster Gajanan, also known as Gaja Marne, in Pune has sparked political controversy, shedding light on the deep-rooted connections between politicians and criminals. Earlier, Parth Pawar, son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, also faced backlash for meeting Gaja Marne.

Gaja Marne, leader of the Marne gang from Mulshi taluka, has a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for serious offenses like the murders of Pappu Gawde and Amol Badhe linked to the Nilesh Ghaywal gang. He served a three-year term in Pune’s Yerawada Jail. The Marne and Mohol gangs wield considerable influence in Pune.

Nilesh Lanke, formerly aligned with Ajit Pawar’s faction within the NCP, returned to Sharad Pawar’s party to contest and win the Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat. Lanke won by a margin of 28,929 votes, with 624,797 votes against BJP’s Sujay Vikhe’s 595,868.

The meeting between Lanke and Gaja Marne has brought the spotlight to Sharad Pawar, and how he deals with it.

Gaja Marne’s brief affiliation with the NCP, initiated during a meeting attended by Ajit Pawar, ended with his expulsion due to widespread criticism. His wife, Jayashree Marne, joined the NCP in 2022 amid her own controversies, including scrutiny by the Anti-Corruption Bureau regarding her properties acquired after becoming a corporator of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in 2012.

Gaja Marne has properties across Pune, Mulshi, and Maval talukas.