Mumbai’s ‘Patriotic Don’ Gangster Ravi Pujari Arrested in South Africa

Like Rajan, Pujari too tried to project himself as a 'Hindu don', and allegedly killed some of the accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case when they were out on bail.

New Delhi: Mangalore-born Ravi Pujari who has at least 49 charges against him, including that of murder and extortion, has been again arrested from South Africa. In 2019, he was arrested in Senegal but after getting bail, he fled. India is trying for the deportation of the once-dreaded aide of Chhota Rajan.

His rise was in Mumbai in the ’90s under the influence of Dawood, Chhota Rajan. In 2000, he split with Chhota Rajan and he fled.

According to reports, he concealed his identity and changed his name to Anthony Fernandes as he was a fan of Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of Anthony Gonsalves in Amar Akbar Anthony. He also has a passport on this name, which says he is a citizen of Burkina Faso.

Like Rajan, Pujari too tried to project himself as a ‘Hindu don’, and allegedly killed some of the accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case when they were out on bail.

He was known for threatening builders and celebrities for extortion. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt had told Mumbai Police that Pujari threatened him, following which some members of his gang were arrested for conspiring to kill Bhatt. Advocate Shahid Azmi, who was shot dead in 2010, had alleged that the Pujari gang had threatened him for representing terror accused.