Gangster Ravi Pujari arrested by Thane Crime Branch in 2017 extortion case

Ravi Pujari was detained in Senegal in 2019 and later brought to India. File Pic

The Thane Crime Branch in Maharashtra has arrested notorious gangster Ravi Pujari in connection with an extortion case registered in 2017, officials said on Wednesday.

He was taken into custody by the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Thane Police.

Police said Ravi Pujari, 57, had been living abroad for several years and was involved in criminal activities from overseas.

According to the police, a case against Pujari was registered at Kasarvadavali Police Station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including extortion and criminal conspiracy in 2017.

It also includes provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), making it a serious organised crime case.

Produced in court

After his arrest, Ravi Pujari was produced before a special MCOCA court. The court has remanded him to police custody until March 27, 2026 for further investigation, an official said.

The investigation is being led by Vinay Ghorpade from the Thane Crime Branch.

Officials said that further details about the case and his alleged network are expected to emerge during interrogation.

Deported from Senegal

A Red Corner Notice had earlier been issued against him. He was detained in Senegal in 2019. He was later brought to India through the legal extradition process and lodged in a Bengaluru jail before being taken into custody by Thane Police.

Arrest by Mumbai Police

Ravi Pujari was earlier in January arrested by the Mumbai Police in connection with a 2018 extortion case involving Bollywood choreographer Remo D'Souza and his wife Lizelle D'Souza.

Although Pujari was in custody since being deported from Senegal around five years ago, he had not previously been arrested in this particular case.

According to police sources, Pujari allegedly issued threats to the D'Souzas on the instructions of co-accused Satyendra Tyagi.

Between October 2016 and February 2018, he is said to have repeatedly contacted and threatened Remo D'Souza, his wife and their manager.

During these calls, Pujari allegedly pressured them to expedite the release of the film Death of Amar and demanded Rs 50 lakh to "settle" the matter.

Police had earlier stated that Pujari had later allegedly began threatening D'Souza and his wife and their manager, demanding Rs 50 lakh in extortion money