Police remand of gangster Ravi Pujari extended till March 15

Mumbai: A special court in Mumbai on Tuesday extended the police remand of gangster Ravi Pujari till March 15 after the accused told the court he wanted to share certain information with the investigation officer.

Earlier, the special Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) court had remanded Pujari to police custody till March 9 in a 2016 case of firing at a restaurant.

At the end of the remand period, police produced Pujari before special judge DE Kothalikar and sought further custody.

Special Public Prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves submitted that the confessional statement of the accused was recorded by the competent authority and the accused needs to be confronted with the same.

Pujari’s lawyer, however, said sufficient opportunity has already been granted to the investigating officer and, therefore, there is no need to further extend police custody.

In the meantime, Pujari told the court he wanted to make certain submissions in person, which the judge allowed.

Pujari said he had certain information which he wanted to share with the investigating officer, and also submitted that he had no objection to the extension of police custody for a period of five days.

After considering the facts and submissions, the court extended Pujari’s police custody.

Pujari was brought to Mumbai from Bengaluru on February 22 in connection with a firing incident that took place in suburban Vile Parle on October 21, 2016.

According to police, it was done by the Pujari gang to intimidate a restaurant owner and extort money.

Pujari has as many as 49 cases registered against his name at various Mumbai police stations, and was extradited to India from Senegal in Africa in February last year after being on the run for several years, and was lodged in a jail in Bengaluru.