Poojari trains guns on Dawood and Shakeel

S Balakrishnan / TNN / May 12, 2006, 00:27 IST

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Ravi Poojari, an ex aide of Chhota Rajan said his mission was to eliminate both Dawood and Chhota Shakeel.

Poojari trains guns on Dawood and Shakeel

MUMBAI: A subtle realignment of forces appears to be taking place in the underworld. Ravi Poojari, a former lieutenant of Chhota Rajan, confirmed on Thursday that he had parted ways with Guru Satam, a gangster who has eluded the Mumbai police for the past several years.
Speaking to TOI, Poojari said his current mission was to eliminate both Dawood and Chhota Shakeel, and to make businessmen who are close to these two gangsters, targets for extortion.
When Chhota Rajan split with Dawood Ibrahim after the March 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai, Guru Satam and Ravi Poojari cast their lot with him.
The trio set up base in south east Asia and continued their operations.While Rajan relocated to Kuala Lumpur, where he was protected by a powerful local mafia, Satam parked himself in Hong Kong and Poojari travelled extensively in south east Asia supervising the gang's operations.

Satam and Poojari were trusted aides of Rajan, till an abortive attack was made on Rajan's life in Bangkok by a team sent by Karachi-based Chhota Shakeel, Dawood's right-hand man, in September 2000.
Poojari called up TOI on Thursday and said a 'misunderstanding' about him and Satam was created in Rajan's mind by sharpshooter Rohit Verma, who was killed in the Bangkok attack. Poojari said Verma was a small-time robber who somehow managed to poison Rajan's ears.

Rajan had suspected several of his associates like Vinod Shetty and Mohan Kotian of having joined hands with Shakeel. He had Shetty and Kotian brutally killed at Panvel and Bangalore respectively.
Unable to convince Rajan about their loyalty, Satam and Poojari set up their own gangs and operated from different world capitals. Extortion has been their forte.
Poojari said about six months ago he, of his own will, separated from Satam and set up his own gang.
"Guru is nobody to throw me out of his gang. I have bigger clout, both in terms of men and money, than Guru. I need not use his name for anything. My mission now is to eliminate both Dawood and Shakeel. I am targeting for extortion only those businessmen who are close to these two gangsters,"he said.
He refused to disclose the place from where he is operating.It is not clear if Poojari will once again team up with Rajan, who also has Dawood and Shakeel high on his hit-list.
Rajan is currently concentrating on getting his wife Sujatha out on bail. She has been in custody of the Mumbai police for the past several weeks on charges of extortion.

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