Gangster Suresh Pujari deported to India from Philippines; to be brought back to Mumbai

Gangster Suresh Pujari, who is wanted in several extortion cases has been deported to India from the Philippines, a senior police official said on Wednesday. Pujari is wanted in extortion cases in Mumbai and Karnataka and several other places like Thane, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar and Dombivli. He was brought back to India late Tuesday night after he was arrested and extradited from the Philippines.

Pujari's custody was taken by Intelligence Bureau (IB) and CBI officials after he landed at the Delhi airport, the official added. After he is quizzed by the central agencies, he will be handed over to the Mumbai Police. A Mumbai Crime Branch team is already present in Delhi to take his custody. Earlier, the Mumbai and Thane police had issued red-corner notices against him in 2017 and 2018 respectively after several extortion cases surfaced against him. 

The official added that the gangster, who is also a close relative of gangster Ravi Pujari was on the run for over 15 years and was nabbed in the Philippines in October. Overall, the authorities have registered  23 extortion cases against him in Thane. Suresh Pujari separated from Ravi Pujari in 2007 and fled abroad. He initially started working with underworld don Chhota Rajan and Ravi Pujari and later formed his own gang, the official said.  

Ravi Pujari arrested 

Earlier, fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari was arrested and brought to Mumbai. The 59-year-old gangster was on the run since 1994 before he was arrested in Senegal last year. Mumbai Police sought the custody of gangster Pujari in connection with the 2016 Ghazali Hotel firing case. Ravi Pujari is wanted in 49 cases, which includes charges of murder, attempt to murder and extortion. The 59-year-old gangster was on the run since 1994 before he was arrested in Senegal last year. He was extradited to India from Senegal in February 2020 was kept in Karnataka jail, as he was being tried in the state. He has the most number of cases registered against him in Karnataka. Special MCOCA court had earlier convicted 10 members from his gang in 2018 for threatening to kill producer-director Mahesh Bhatt and his family members.