Crime Branch seeks custody of Former Rajan aide

The Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police on Friday sought custody of former Chhota Rajan aide Prakash Pande alias Bunty in connection with a firing case outside a hotel in south Mumbai in 2008.

The Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police on Friday sought custody of former Chhota Rajan aide Prakash Pande alias Bunty in connection with a firing case outside a hotel in south Mumbai in 2008.

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According to the police, Prakash Shetty, the owner of the restaurant, was being threatened for ransom. When he refused to pay, two shooters, suspected to be Pande’s men, opened fire on the restaurant, killing the watchman, Bishweshwar Mandal.

The police told the esplanade metropolitan magistrates court that they want to find out who had made the extortion calls to Shetty.

The court had initially remanded Pande to judicial custody in the extortion case and later remanded him to police custody till November 22 in connection with the firing case.

Pande allegedly worked as a sharpshooter with the Rajan gang and has over 30 cases registered against him in the country.

Pande was deported from Vietnam and was arrested on November 4.