Gangster Suresh Pujari's case to be dealt by SIT of Maharashtra ATS; SP Shinde to head

A day after a Thane court remanded gangster Suresh Pujari to Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad till December 25, on Thursday a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the extortion case registered with the Mahatma Phule police station in Kalyan against him. The SIT comprising seven members will be headed by Superintendent of Police Rajkumar Shinde.

Pujari was extradited from the Philippines and brought to India on Tuesday. After his arrival in Delhi, Suresh Pujari was arrested by ATS at about 2 am, and was brought to Mumbai on a commercial flight at about 9 am on Wednesday. ATS officials said that it was a 'classified operation that went off smoothly'. 

Gangster Suresh Pujari deported from Philippines

According to officials, Suresh Pujari is said to be a close relative of gangster Ravi Pujari who was on the run for over 15 years. He initially started working with Ravi and underworld don Chhota Rajan. However, Suresh Pujari is said to have separated from them in 2007, and formed his own gang.

With Ravi and Chhota Rajan, and also when he had his own gang, Suresh Pujari would threaten small-time businessmen, wine shop owners and politicians. He would also participate in shootouts. He has cases against him in Mumbai and Karnataka and several other places like Thane, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, and Dombivli.

In 2007, he fled abroad. After fleeing abroad, he lived under fake identities in different countries until October 2021, when he was arrested in the Philippines on information provided by India. It was a joint operation with the help of central investigating agencies. 

Ravi Pujari arrested and extradited to India

Last year, fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari was also arrested and brought to India. He was extradited from Senegal to Bengaluru via France in February 2020. The 59-year-old Bollywood extortionist was on the run since 1994 before he was arrested in Senegal. Mumbai Police sought his custody in connection with the 2016 Ghazali Hotel firing case. A special MCOCA court had previously convicted 10 members from his gang in 2018 for threatening to kill producer-director Mahesh Bhatt and his family members. Ravi Pujari is wanted in 49 cases, which includes charges of murder, attempt to murder, and extortion. A Red Corner Notice was issued against him in 2002.

Image: Republic World