EXCLUSIVE: Ravi Pujari to be extradited to India soon; Karnataka Police team in Senegal

In a big win for Indian investigating agencies, underworld don Ravi Pujari is likely to be extradited to India soon. A team from Karnataka police is currently in Senegal to complete the extradition process. This comes after the Supreme Court of Senegal rejected a plea filed by Ravi Pujari against his extradition to India. 

Sources within Interpol have confirmed to Republic TV that the “extradition process is in the final stage”.  A red corner notice was issued against him in 2002. Pujari has claimed before the Senegalese authorities that he is Anthony Fernandes and not Ravi Pujari and was carrying a Burkina Faso passport.

Last year, Republic TV was the only channel to have accessed Ravi Pujari’s first pictures following his arrest from a barber's shop in Dakar, Senegal's capital. 

Also read: As Republic tracks Ravi Pujari, here's all you need to know about India's most wanted gangster who fled the country in 1990s

Also read: "Pujari Called Me From Outside India, For Publicity Purposes," Says Former Karnataka Minister Ramnath Rai On Dreaded Gangster Ravi Pujari Threatening Him In 2015

Ravi Pujari shuffled between Thailand, Malaysia, Morocco and later headed to West African countries of Burkina Faso, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Senegal. Pujari ran three restaurants in Senegal. The fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari ran the hotel chain in West Africa's Senegal under the name of Antony Fernandes for close to 8 years. As per sources, he has been in Africa for over a decade where he was living a luxurious life with his wife and kids as a hotelier in Dakar. He was arrested from a barber shop on January 21, 2019. 

Karnataka police have 39 cases against Pujari in Bengaluru, 36 cases in Mangalore, 11 in Udupi, and one each in Mysuru, Hubli-Dharwad, Kolar, and Shivamogga. Mumbai police have a total of 49 cases against Pujari of which, 26 cases are under the stringent MCOCA. In Gujarat, there are around 75 cases of extortion registered against Pujari.

Also read: "Indian govt will bring back Ravi Pujari and will punish him for his crimes": Union Minister vows

Also read: "Will bring him back," says Maharashtra government after Republic tracks down India's most wanted don Ravi Pujari