In a significant decision, a Thane court acquitted nine persons booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in a 2016 dacoity case. The court ruled their identification was unreliable and the prosecution failed to prove the charges against them. Special Judge V.G. Mohite stated on December 12, 2025, "The mandatory requirement of the offence of organised crime as defined in Section 2(1)(e) of the MCOCA has not been proved against the accused." He added, "Therefore, mere collection of copies of previous charge-sheets and according to the sanction order u/s 23(2) of the Act are not sufficient to prove the offence under Section 3 of the MCOCA." The accused had been charged for allegedly threatening a family, wrongfully confining them, and stealing cash and ornaments from their house at Talasari in Palghar district on July 18, 2016. They faced charges under Indian Penal Code Sections 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery or dacoity with an attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), and MCOCA provisions. However, the court found the prosecution's evidence weak, especially regarding identification and recovery of stolen items. It noted, "The possibility of tampering by jail police during the identification parade cannot be ruled out." The court also said, "Identification of the accused claimed by witnesses loses its sanctity." Contradictions were found in eyewitness accounts about face coverings, with the Judge noting, "If those robbers wore the masks and helmets, then it is not possible to identify them either in court or at the time of TI (test identification) parade." The nine acquitted are Trimani Tangraj, Rakesh Babu Chalwadi, Kishor Shantaram Rumale Patil, Samadhan Pandit Sonawane, Sandip Brijlal Chauhan, Ashish Pandurang Devare from Thane, and Umesh Kakdya Farara, Sandeep Antya Thakre, Shashikant alias Ganesh Ramdas Godse from Palghar. Another accused, Prashant Prakash Surve, passed away during the trial, and his case was abated. The verdict was published on December 16, 2025.