Gangster Ravi Pujari's aide wanted in extortion case arrested at Mumbai airport

The police have arrested an aide of gangster Ravi Pujari, wanted in connection with an extortion case, from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, an official said on Friday.

The police on Thursday arrested Vijay Purushottam Salvi alias Vijay Tambat, who has been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the official from the city crime branch said.

An offence under section 385 (extortion) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and MCOCA had been registered against Salvi, who had escaped from the country, and the police had issued a lookout circular for him, he said. Immigration officials picked up Salvi when he arrived at the airport on a flight from the UAE and handed him over to the crime branch officials of Thane city police, the official said.

According to the police, Salvi was wanted in connection with an extortion case, wherein gangster Ravi Pujari had made an extortion call, demanding Rs 10 crore from Mahendra Pamnani of Roma Builders in 2017. Pujari had also allegedly threatened to kill Pamnani and sent sharpshooters to the builder’s office in Thane, they said.

The police had arrested the alleged accused with firearms, the official said. Salvi also has cases of attempt to murder and offences registered under the Arms Act registered against him with the Kasturba Marg, Samta Nagar and Kasarwadavali police stations, he said.