Ajit Pawar Gives Ticket to Notorious Gangster Bapu Nayar, Sparks Pune Outcry

• Bapu Nayar, son of Kerala migrants, started as a driver before his life took a criminal turn in 2001 with an attempted murder case.
• He rose to prominence in Pune's underworld after orchestrating the daylight murder of rival gangster Baiju Navghane in 2011.
• Nayar later allied with gangster Gajanan Marne and expanded into the cable business, solidifying his criminal influence.
• He was again arrested in 2020 for his alleged involvement in the conspiracy to murder Shiv Sena leader Deepak Maratkar.
• Ajit Pawar's faction has now given a ticket to MCOCA-accused Bapu Nayar for the Pune Municipal Corporation elections, raising questions about political patronage.

Why It Matters: Ajit Pawar's faction fields MCOCA-accused Bapu Nayar, sparking controversy over political patronage.