The man who threatened Nusli Wadia: Meet mafia don Ravi Pujari

Ravi Pujari suddenly became the focus of media attention on Wednesday when Ness Wadia’s father and leading industrialist Nusli Wadia alleged he had received threats from Pujari over the phone on Monday.

According to Mumbai police, Pujari made five calls and sent a text message to Wadia and his associates threatening to harm Wadia and his business if his family did not stay away from Preity Zinta. Preity Zinta had earlier filed an FIR against former boyfriend Ness Wasia for abuse and harrassment.

Pujari is known to be a highly wanted criminal in India. “Pujari, a splinter from Mumbai don Chhota Rajan’s gang, is believed to be holed up in Australia and is wanted in Mumbai and Mangalore in over three dozen cases, mostly extortions bids,” said a report in The Times of India.

In one of his more intimidating attempts, according to DNA, Pujari delivered his extortion threat to a Khar-based builder by sending a bouquet of flowers to the builder’s daughter on her wedding day, threatening to kill her future husband if the demanded sum wasn’t delivered.

This is not the first time Pujari has targeted Bollywood stars. The report added that Pujari had earlier threatened Mahesh Bhatt, Sanjay Kapoor, Salman Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Akshay Kumar, Boney Kapoor and Viveck Oberoi.

According to another report in The Times of India, Pujari “targeted builders and hoteliers in the 90s when the underworld was at its peak in Mumbai.” Fluent in English, Kannada, Hindi and Tulu. A school dropout, he rose rapidly in the gangland under the tutelage of Chotta Rajan in the 80s and 90s, and set up his own gang in 2000.

However, police officials said that Pujari is always looking for publicity through such threats. “Last month, he had called up NSEL payment scandal accused Jignesh Shah’s lawyer and demanded money,” said the earlier report in The Times of India.

But with the threat to Wadia, he may have stepped over the line. According to DNA , the police has launched an all-out manhunt for the gangster. “Our response will be strong. We will trace him in whichever part of the world he is and bring him to book,” a senior police officer told the newspaper, claiming that they are now seeking the help of Interpol.