5 members of Suresh Pujari gang held for extortions bids in Mumbai and Thane

The police claimed they have busted a module that operates directly on instructions of Pujari for the extortion business in both cities.

The anti-extortion cell of the Mumbai crime branch arrested five members of Suresh Pujari’s gang on Friday, in connection with firing at a Bhiwandi hotel employee, threating the owner and planning to ‘bump off’ a South Mumbai-based businessman for extortion.

Two of the accused were arrested on Friday, followed by the arrests of the others.(Representational Image)

The police claimed they have busted a module that operates directly on instructions of Pujari for the extortion business in Mumbai and Thane.

The arrested men have been identified as Harish Kotian 30; Sanket Dalvi 25; Prathmesh Kadam 22; Noormohammed Khan 20; and Aniket Thakur 25.

According to sources, an Ulhasnagar resident, who runs a shop of cameras in Fort, received threatening calls from Pujari early this month, demanding Rs50 lakh. When he ignored, he again received a call from Pujari, who told him about the Bhiwandi incident and this time asked him to pay Rs1 crore.

Following this, the businessman approached the joint commissioner of police (crime). Officials from the anti-extortion cell of crime branch were pressed in the operation.

They first held Kotian and Dalvi in Dadar on Friday, who then led the investigators to the other three.

“Khan, Kadam and Thakur were planning something ‘big’ in connection with the Fort businessman case. We have recovered two pistols, five rounds and magazines from them,” said deputy commissioner of police (detection) Dilip Sawant. “The accused have criminal cases, including an attempt to murder case. All have been sent to police custody up to January 25,” he said.