Pune: Wrestler-turned-politician Mangaldas Bandal 's arrest by Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday is not his first. In the last two decades, Bandal has faced several police cases for his involvement in land scam , extortion and body offences even before his political career began in 2009. He was arrested by the Pune police in 2021 in a land scam and extortion case.
After his release from jail, Bandal was keen on contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha election and got a ticket from Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi for the Shirur constituency in Pune district against NCP (SCP) MP Amol Kolhe and NCP's candidate Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil. A few days later, VBA cancelled Bandal's candidature for going against the party. He was seen campaigning for Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra in Baramati.
He also faced flak from NCP (SCP) members for attacking Sharad Pawar during a rally in Baramati. Bandal got into politics by contesting the Pune Zilla Parishad election as an independent. In 2009, he was inducted into the BJP, and he contested the general election from Shirur constituency but lost to NCP's Ashok Pawar.
Later, Bandal joined NCP and became its state vice president. However, after his name cropped up in an extortion case registered with the Pune police, he was expelled in March 2020. A few weeks later, he was arrested in the case.
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