08 April,2015 11:24 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
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After the arrest of three people associated with fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari, who were allegedly plotting to kill MNS leader Raju Patil, Mumbai Crime Branch has managed to capture two crucial aides of Pujari on Tuesday, who were providing information to the gangster about businessmen in Dombivli and Kalyan.
Dayanand Jatan an would provide information about businessmen in Kalyan and Dombivli areas to gangster Ravi Pujari
According to the police, several prominent politicians of Thane, Kalyan and Dombivli, such as Shiv Sena's Pratap Sarnaik, MNS' Raju Patil, Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, NCP leader Omi Kalani son of gangster and former politician Pappu Kalani and BJP's Kumar Ailani, along with builders like Ram Bhagat and Kunal Patil in Kalyan and Thane have received extortion calls from Pujari.
The three suspected shooters, Abhishek Salvi (24) a resident of Kalyan (East), Aniket Jadhav (21) a Vasind resident, and Bharat Ved (23), a resident of Borivli, were arrested by Crime Branch's Anti-Extortion Cell from Bhandup on March 12. During interrogation, the police learnt that the trio was planning to execute Raju Patil, and found out about Pujari's informants Dayanand Jatan alias Chaddi, and another individual.
Jatan has been working for Pujari for the last 15 years and is a history-sheeter, who has been arrested several times as a shooter but jumped bail. The third individual is a businessman who owns several wine shops in the city and is a close relative of a former BJP minister.
"Patil would pass on crucial information to Pujari, including mobile numbers, vehicle information and the financial status of the person they were planning to extort money from," said Dhananjay Kulkarni, deputy commissioner of police, Crime Branch.
Sources told mid-day that the shooters have also transferred lakhs of rupees to the gangster via the hawala route. "Pujari has harassed several politicians and businessmen in Kalyan and Dombivli areas, after he had to stop his extortion attempts in Mumbai when police started arresting his men in the city," said Vinayak Vast, senior police inspector of Anti-Extortion Cell, Mumbai Crime Branch.
