Bengaluru/Kochi: Extradited gangster Ravi Pujari would be brought to Kochi for evidence collection in connection with a firing at a city salon early last year. However, the Kerala Police is unlikely to get his custody soon as he is an accused in several cases across the country.
The history-sheeter, born in Malpe, Karnataka, is the first accused in the shooting case reported outside a beauty parlour in Kadavanthra. The salon is reportedly owned by actress Leena Maria Paul who herself is accused of defrauding Canara Bank in Chennai to the tune of Rs 19 crore.
The other accused in the beauty parlour case are Bilal, Vipin, Ajas, and Monai (Nisam). The Crime Branch has already filed the charge-sheet in the case.
Leena was targeted by the underworld after word had spread that she had amassed huge sums of black money.
Shots were allegedly fired on Pujari's orders at the beauty parlour to extort money from her.
Pujari was recently arrested from South Africa and brought to Bengaluru. He has been remanded in police custody till March 7. He would be questioned at a special centre at Madiwala in Bengaluru from Tuesday.
ADGP Amar Kumar Pandey, who led the Karnataka team that brought the gangster to Bengaluru, said that Pujari was healthy and that he was cooperating with the police.
He is an accused in more than 200 cases across the country. In Karnataka alone, there are 96 cases against him.
The fugitive gangster was arrested from Senegal in West Africa last year. However, he gained bail using a fake passport in the name of Antony Fernandes and fled to South Africa. He was arrested again during a joint effort by India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Senegal police. He was then extradited to India.
The last case filed against him in Bengaluru was over killing two employees at Shabnam Developers in 2007. The staff were shot dead after they tried to resist the move to extort money.
Pujari's wife Padma and three children had fled to Australia earlier.