Police in Mangaluru have arrested rowdy-sheeter ‘Akash Bhavan’ Sharan from Bengaluru — a gangster involved in 18 criminal cases including that of sexual assault against a minor, multiple murders and extortion. 

Mangaluru Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil told reporters that Sharan was arrested by a team of Central Crime Branch officers following a tip-off. Patil told reporters that he will be kept in custody in connection with an Arms case.

“He is wanted in other cases also. He will be placed under police custody and interrogated. Action will be taken against other members of his gang as well,” Patil told reporters.

Sharan is also an alleged aide of infamous underworld don Vikki Shetty, and he had been absconding since January. He was among those who were arrested in connection with the murder case of Madur Isubbu, an aide of Chota Shakeel in the Mangaluru District Prison in November, 2015.

In a sensational incident, two seasoned criminals, Madoor Yusuf alias Isubu and Ganesh Shetty, both close aides of Chotta Shakeel, were hacked to death inside the prison by the Vicky Shetty gang. The murders were carried out at the behest of Sharan, police said.

Police are also on the lookout for Sharan’s associates.

Sharan was lodged at the Ballari Central Prison before his detention period was over, under the Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Slum-Grabbers (Goonda) Act.

In January, he had allegedly sexually assaulted a minor girl. A case was filed against him under sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, based on a complaint filed by the survivor’s family in Pandeshwar Women’s police station. He had befriended the minor and later allegedly sexually assaulted her in a lodge. 

In 2009, he had earlier allegedly raped an elderly woman at Yekkur before stealing her valuables