Underworld Gangster Ravi Pujari Extradited From Senegal, Brought To India

Underworld gangster Ravi Pujari, who used to operate in Mumbai in the 1990s, was brought back to India late last night after he was arrested and extradited  from the west African country of Senegal. He was flown to Bengaluru by a team of officials, including senior IPS officers from Karnataka.

Pujari, who was wanted in many cases including extortion and murder in different parts of the country, including Karnataka, and been missing for over 15 years. He was wanted in close to 90 cases in Karnataka, in which 25 cases are under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Over 70 cases of extortion are registered against him in Gujarat.

He was produced before a Bengaluru court today where he was sent to police custody till March 7.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Senegal had rejected his request challenging his extradition to India.

At the time of his arrest in Senegal, he had a Burkina Faso passport with a false identity of Anthony Fernandes.

Ravi Pujari was mentored by gangster Chhota Rajan, who is currently serving a life sentence in a jail in Navi Mumbai. The two parted ways sometime around 2001.

He will be produced before a court in Bengaluru today, Additional Director-General of Police Amar Kumar Pandey said.  "He is physically fit. Questioning will begin from tomorrow (Monday). First, we have to take him to the magistrate. He will be produced before the court tomorrow (Monday). He is supporting our investigation and answering questions," the officer said on Sunday.

In 2018, activists Umar Khalid, Shehla Rashid and Dalit leader and Gujarat legislator Jignesh Mewani had allegedly received death threats from the gangster.

Ravi Pujari also allegedly used to make extortion demands to Bollywood personalities between 2009 and 2013.