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Sena (UBT) legislator Anil Parab demanded the ouster of minister Yogesh Kadam for overruling a police report to grant a gun licence to Sachin Ghaywal, brother of a Pune gangster
Anil Parab (in pic) alleged that Yogesh Kadam ignored the Pune police commissioner’s detailed report outlining Sachin Ghaywal’s criminal background and instead approved his appeal. (PTI)
A new political storm has gripped Maharashtra after Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Anil Parab demanded the ouster of Minister of State for Home (Urban) Yogesh Kadam, accusing him of overruling a police report to grant a gun licence to Sachin Ghaywal, the brother of notorious Pune gangster Nilesh Ghaywal.
The issue, which has triggered outrage within the opposition ranks, has once again brought the state’s political ethics and administrative accountability under scrutiny.
According to Parab, the Pune Police had refused to clear Sachin Ghaywal’s application for a firearm licence after finding serious criminal antecedents, including charges of murder, extortion, and attempt to murder. Despite this, Parab alleged, Kadam personally intervened and overturned the recommendation, citing Ghaywal’s claim that he faced business-related threats. The move, Parab said, was an “insult” to the police force and a “mockery of law and order” under the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.
In a fiery press conference on Thursday, Parab laid out what he called the “chronology of favouritism”. He said Kadam ignored the Pune police commissioner’s detailed report outlining Ghaywal’s criminal background and instead approved his appeal by terming him a “builder and former sports teacher” who needed protection due to financial transactions in his business.
“This is not administrative discretion, it’s political indulgence,” Parab charged, adding that such decisions embolden the criminal class. He also accused Kadam of running a “ministry that shields gangsters while humiliating the police”.
Parab didn’t hold back in questioning chief minister Fadnavis either. “The police are doing their job with integrity, yet the minister sitting next to the chief minister destroys their morale. What compels the CM to stand by such people?” he asked. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader vowed to take the matter further: first to the chief minister, then to the Lokayukta, and if needed, to the courts. “The government’s image has been tarnished. If rules can be bent for gangsters’ families, what message are we sending to honest citizens?” Parab said, warning of street protests if no action was taken.
Reacting swiftly to the political backlash, Kadam defended his decision, insisting it was made “within the legal framework”. In a post on X, he said: “As per the police report available on the date of hearing, there were no pending cases against the applicant. The court had already acquitted him, and all documents were verified. Hence, the licence was granted as per procedure.” He added that linking the decision to unrelated controversies was “misleading and politically motivated”.
For the Opposition, the controversy has become a weapon to question the Mahayuti government’s credibility, while for the ruling side, it’s a test of how firmly it can defend its ministers without eroding public trust.
Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa…Read More
Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa… Read More
October 09, 2025, 15:52 IST
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