Mumbai: Gangster Prasad Pujari's mother held under MCOCA charges

MUMBAI: After trapping

gangster Ejaz Lakdawala

by arresting his daughter Shifa alias Sonia, the city police are now trying to build similar pressure on another fugitive gangster, Prasad Pujari.


The city crime branch on Tuesday arrested Pujari's mother, Indira Pujari (68), under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The arrest of Indira Pujari could be a major blow to the gangster who was trying to expand his operations following the arrests of Lakdawala, Kumar Pillai and Ravi Pujari. Police said Prasad Pujari's name had cropped up during investigation into an extortion case registered in January. Prima facie it appears Indira was a conduit between her son and gang members.

A builder from Vikhroli had lodged a complaint that Prasad was threatening him. When the builder refused to give into Prasad's demands, the gangster allegedly sent estate agent Sunil Aagane. Aagane called up the gangster on Botim app (an Internet-based video call app which criminals and anti-nationals have been increasingly using) and made the builder talk to him, said investigating officer Satish Tawre.

Based on the complaint, the crime branch arrested Aagane in February. During interrogation, Aagane spilled the beans on Pujari's cousin, Sukesh Kumar, who was arrested from Bengaluru.

During investigation, it transpired Sukesh Kumar had sent Rs 25,000 to Aagane. Sukesh, in turn, was given the money by Indira.

"We suspect Indira had got part of the extortion money. At the behest of her son, she asked Sukesh to hand it over to Aagane," said Akbar Pathan, deputy commissioner of police (crime).

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