Gangster Prasad Pujari, accused of being involved in several serious crimes including murder, extortion and kidnapping, was brought back to India after his deportation from China in the wee hours of Saturday, and was then placed under arrest by the Mumbai police, an official said.
Known by various aliases including Subhash Vitthal Pujari, Siddharth Shetty, Siddhu, and Johny, Pujari previously operated within the networks led by gangsters Kumar Pillai and Chhota Rajan. Residing in China with his Chinese wife and their five-year-old child, Pujari was a familiar figure in the underworld, having been associated with Kumar Pillai’s associates since his youth, eventually earning their trust.
Implicated in numerous cases of murder, attempted murder, and extortion across Mumbai, particularly in Vikhroli, Ghatkopar, and LT Marg, Pujari faced legal consequences, spending two and a half years behind bars on an attempted murder charge before being acquitted in September 2005 due to insufficient evidence.
Subsequently relocating to Hong Kong, Pujari continued his criminal activities, including involvement in an attempt to murder case targeting Shiv Sena leader Chandrashekhar Jadhav in 2019. Despite the arrest of eight associates in connection with the incident, Pujari managed to evade capture.
In 2020, Pujari faced further legal trouble when an extortion case was filed against him and his associates for allegedly threatening a builder in Vikhroli and demanding Rs 10 lakh. The investigation led to the arrest of Pujari’s cousin brother Sukesh Kumar and his mother Indira for their alleged involvement in running an extortion racket.
Subsequently, stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act were invoked against Pujari and his gang members, underscoring the gravity of their criminal activities.
(With PTI inputs)
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