Gangster Ravi Pujari was involved in the Bevincha shooting case in Kasaragod where the assailants targeted a gold dealer, Mohammad Kunhi, in an attempt to extort money from him, according to the police.
The role of Pujari in the second case booked in the State was revealed by the police in the remand extension report filed at the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Ernakulam, the other day.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad of the Kerala Police had obtained the accused in custody in connection with the Panampilly Nagar beauty parlour shooting case. Seeking the extension of the remand of the accused, the police submitted that the source of weapons used in the Panampilly Nagar firing case could not be ascertained, even after interrogating Pujari. The continued custody of the accused was required to probe the role of other accused in the case.
Probe on
Two more accused need to be located and arrested. The investigation in the case was progressing and the forensic analysis reports were awaited, the police submitted.
The agency apprehended that the accused, an international gangster who was wanted in many grave crimes in India, would threaten or influence the witnesses and tamper with the evidence if released on bail. They also apprehended that he would abscond, if enlarged on bail, and will not appear before the court for trial.
The court, which accepted the submission of the police, sent Pujari back to the Parappana Agrahara Central jail in Bengaluru after extending his remand.
Beauty parlour case
The First Information Report registered in the Panampilly Nagar firing case noted that the accused intimidated the actor Leena Paul and caused fear of death by firing at the beauty parlour. The firing was part of a conspiracy to threaten the actor and extort money from her. Pujari, who was abroad, had made threatening calls to the actor from Senegal, Malaysia and France, it said. The police had arrested Bilal and Vipin Varghese, who opened fire at the beauty parlour, and recovered a revolver and a pistol from them. Althaf Khan, who brought the pistol and revolver and a motorcycle for the other accused, was also arrested.
