Mumbai: Ravi Pujari Gang Members Get Five Years Jail For Plotting to Kill Mahesh Bhatt And His Family

Around 47 witnesses were examined during the trial period, while 12 accused were acquitted of the MCOCA charges. Around 12 members of the gang were arrested by the Mumbai Cops who planned to kill the Bhatt family.

New Delhi, April 26: A Mumbai court on Wednesday granted five years imprisonment to at least 10 members from the Ravi Pujari group who planned to kill the filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and his family in 2014.

The accused were found guilty under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), Section 120B of the IPC (criminal conspiracy) and relevant provisions of the Arms Act, the Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said. Two other accused were acquitted.

Ishrat Sheikh, Mohammad Hasnat Khan, Azim Khan, Ashpak Sayyed, Asif Khan, Shahnawaz Sheikh, Firoz Sayyed, Shabir Sheikh, Rahim Khan and Anis Merchant were convicted for illegal possession of weapons under the Arms Act and for hatch the conspiracy. Ravikesh Singh and Yusuf Kadri were acquitted.

Around 47 witnesses were examined during the trial period, while 12 accused were acquitted of the MCOCA charges. Around 12 members of the gang were arrested by the Mumbai Police. The criminals had planned to kill the Bhatt family.

Important accused of the gang such as Ravi Pujari and another man were shown as absconding accused in the case. According to the prosecution, Pujari, said to be living abroad, wanted to revive his gang in Mumbai by targeting Bhatt and his brother Mukesh who is also a filmmaker and son Rahul. (With inputs from PTI)