The police said the names of Nayna Baburam Pujari, 40, and Jaylakhsmi Ghanshyam Salian, 48, had cropped up during the investigation into a few complaints about extortion calls made by Ravi Pujari or people claiming to be his gang members.
The Thane police on Thursday claimed to have made some important breakthroughs with regard to the operations of Ravi Pujari and his gang. The cops have come across useful nuggets of information following the questioning of the underworld don's two sisters who have been brought from Delhi.
The police said the names of Nayna Baburam Pujari, 40, and Jaylakhsmi Ghanshyam Salian, 48, had cropped up during the investigation into a few complaints about extortion calls made by Ravi Pujari or people claiming to be his gang members.
The Thane Anti-Extortion Cell then traced the two women to Delhi and found that they have been residing in the national capital for past many years. Both the sisters are in regular touch with Ravi Pujari, said the police.
The two were questioned for several hours on Thursday and the grilling is likely to continue on Friday as well. "We are getting new facts from the sisters which will be of great help to us. We'll not let them walk away easily. We will keep a tab on them," said an officer from Thane police commissionerate.
Over the past year, the officer said, Pujari has been increasingly targeting people from Thane-Dombvli-Kalyan belt. "Pujari originally hails from Dombivli and is using his old contacts to extort money from sand dealers, builders and various businessmen."
In fact, reports about Pujari gang issuing threats have inspired a few to extort money using his name. Recently, a tempo driver from Diva was arrested for demanding money from a senior citizen from Thane. The officer said, "The tempo driver is in no way linked with Pujari. He just used his name."
Deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) Parag Manere said, "We have got more details about Pujari's friends and associates. He has been extorting money from people in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Bangalore and many other places. We are trying to trace the local goons who are helping him."
Manere said after Mumbai police cracked down the gang's operations, they moved to Thane. "We made a big breakthrough when our ACP (crime) Nagesh Lohar and senior inspector N Kadam tracked down Pujari's sisters to Delhi."
Thane police chief Parambir Singh said, "The sister's names had cropped up during investigation. We sent a team to Delhi and brought them here. We are trying to get more details about their mother and other family members and friends to ascertain if they too are involved in some way or the other with the gang's operations."
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