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Gajalee hotel firing: HC grants bail to three aides of gangster Ravi Pujari
Mumbai: Bombay High Court grants bail to three men associated with gangster Ravi Pujari in the Gajalee Hotel firing and extortion case after seven years of incarceration. They will be released upon furnishing a PR bond of ₹1 lakh with sureties and are subject to strict conditions.
Mumbai: The Bombay high court granted bail recently to three men associated with gangster Ravi Pujari, who were arrested by the Anti Extortion Cell of the Mumbai police in connection with the Gajalee Hotel firing and extortion case in February 2021.
Justice NJ Jamadar, a single bench, granted bail to Mrityunjay Narayan Das, Suresh Kumar Pandiyan Pillai, and Ramesh Kitta Pujari due to their prolonged incarceration for nearly seven years. They will be released upon furnishing a PR bond of ₹1 lakh with one or more sureties of the same amount.
The incident, as per the First Information Report filed with the Vile Parle police station, occurred on October 21, 2016. Das and another gang member, Mohammed Momin, visited the Gajalee hotel in Andheri, Mumbai. While Momin waited outside, Das entered the hotel and handed over a chit to the manager, threatening him to convey a message to the owner, allegedly from Ravi Pujari. When the manager didn’t comply, Das fired shots at him and fled with Momin. Pujari and Pillai were said to have conspired and provided resources for the incident.
They were booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act, for conspiracy, attempt to murder, and possession and usage of unauthorised firearms. During the hearing, the applicants emphasised the prolonged incarceration, arguing that while charges were framed in September 2019, no witnesses had been examined, making it unlikely for the trial to conclude soon. They also pointed out that they had already served more than half of the maximum punishment for the offence, claiming a right to parity as a co-accused had been released on bail. The state argued that the delay was due to the accused’s non-cooperation.
The court found merit in the applicants’ arguments, acknowledging that since no witnesses had been examined, concluding the trial within a reasonable period seemed unlikely. Additionally, the period of incarceration exceeded the minimum sentence for any of the offences. Hence, the court deemed it appropriate to grant bail. However, considering their antecedents and involvement in multiple cases, the court imposed stringent conditions. They are required to report to the DCB CID Anti Extortion Cell, Mumbai, every month, and they are prohibited from entering Mumbai except for trial purposes.