Mumbai, Jan 28: The Mumbai Police Anti-Extortion Cell is set to take custody of notorious gangster Ravi Pujari once again in connection with a Rs 2 crore extortion case registered in 2014 at Santacruz Police Station. The matter is scheduled to be heard in Esplanade Court on Thursday, reliable sources said.
Case details
The case pertains to threats and extortion calls made to a 45-year-old marble businessman associated with Regal Marbles, a marble trading firm located at Gajdhar Bandh Road, Santacruz (West).
First extortion call
According to the complaint, on August 31, 2014, at around 4:20 pm, the businessman received a call on his mobile phone from an international number.
The caller identified himself as Ravi Pujari calling from Australia and inquired about the business, stating, “You are big people, take care of us,” implying a demand for extortion. When the businessman tried to avoid the conversation by stating he was not the owner, the caller disconnected.
Threats to office staff
Minutes later, Pujari called the office landline, which was answered by clerk Sarla Pathak. He demanded to speak to the owner and, upon being told that he was not in the office, threatened, “Tell him I want Rs 2 crore, otherwise I will blow up the entire shop.” Shortly thereafter, another employee, Arju Rizvi, received a similar call carrying identical threats.
At around 4:45 pm, the businessman received two missed calls from another international number. However, fearing it was Pujari, he did not answer the calls.
Complaint lodged
On September 1, 2014, the businessman submitted a written complaint to senior police officials. Later that evening, Pujari again called the office landline at 5:55 pm. The call was answered by manager Samarjit Shukla, to whom Pujari asked about the owner’s whereabouts. After being told that the owner had gone to the hospital due to his father’s illness, Pujari instructed that the owner be asked to call him back.
Continued threats
The threats continued, and on September 12, 2014, Pujari once again called the office. During this call, he threatened that his men were keeping close watch on the owner’s movements and warned of firing at the office if the demand was not met.
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Voice identification and FIR
During the inquiry by the Anti-Extortion Cell, the owner was made to listen to voice samples, which he identified as that of Ravi Pujari, the same person who had demanded Rs 2 crore and issued repeated death threats.
Based on the complaint, Santacruz Police registered an FIR in 2014 against Ravi Pujari for extortion and criminal intimidation. The Anti-Extortion Cell is now set to take his custody again to further probe the case.
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