PUNE CITY police on Wednesday invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the members of the Andekar gang led by gangster Suryakant Alias Bandu Andekar in connection with the murder of his teenager grandson Ayush Komkar.Meanwhile the investigation of the case has been transferred to the Crime Branch.Ayush, 18, was allegedly shot multiple times by two gunmen in the parking lot of his residential building in Bhavani Peth on September 5 in what is suspected to be an act of revenge for the murder of former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator Vanraj Andekar, Bandu Andekar’s son, in September last year.Ayush was son of one of the daughters of Bandu Andekar, Kalyani Komkar, whose husband Ganesh Komkar is key accused in Vanraj’s murder.Police have till now arrested a total of eight persons including Bandu Andekar and two alleged shooters.A senior police officer told The Indian Express, “The probe of the case has been handed over to the crime branch. A coordinated manhunt is currently on for the remaining accused.”A press statement issued by the Pune Police on Wednesday read, “The main accused Suryakant alias Bandu Andekar, with his old and new associates, committed several serious offences including murders,. The accused are involved in the cases of attempted murders, causing serious injuries, damaging citizens’ property by vandalizing, carrying illegal weapons and firearms, committing abductions, carrying out armed robberies, defied police orders, created terror in the minds of ordinary citizens. Even after preventive actions were taken against him from time to time, he has continued committing such serious offences.”Story continues below this adThe release added that to bring the present crime under the purview of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999, Sections 3(1)(ii), 3(2), and 3(4), Senior Police Inspector Umesh Gite submitted a proposal through Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Krushikesh Rawale, to the Additional Commissioner of Police, Western Regional Division, Rajesh Bansode, which was approved.Eight accused have been arrested in connection with the murder of Ayush.While Yash Siddheshwar Patil (19) and Amit Prakash Patole (19) were arrested a day after the incident. Aman Yusuf Pathan (25) and Sujal Rahul Mergu (19) were arrested on Monday. Probe has revealed that these four accused, who executed the crime on the ground.Of these Pathan and Patil are the ones who opened fire while Patole and Mergu conducted the recce, police have said. Taking the investigation further, four key accused in the case including Bandu Andekar (68), his daughter Vrundavani Nilanjay Wadekar (45) and her sons Tushar (27) and Swaraj (23) were detained from Buldhana district.Story continues below this adIt is alleged in the FIR that the Andekar family members and gang members hatched the conspiracy to gun down Ayush Komkar to avenge the murder of Vanraj.Ayush was fatally shot multiple times in the parking of Lakshmi Complex, near Navrang Mitra Mandal in Bhavani Peth, where he was residing, around 7.30 pm on September 5. Ayush, a civil engineering student, had returned home after picking up his 12-year-old younger brother from a tuition class.The police probe till now has revealed no direct link of Ayush with any criminal activities.