Khar firing not a case of mistaken identity

Three days after two alleged Ravi Pujari gang members shot at Khar travel agency owner, Janak Aswani (40), the police said it was not a case of mistaken identity. They were to kill Aswani to scare the builder whose office is next door, reports HT Correspondent.

Three days after two alleged Ravi Pujari gang members shot at Khar travel agency owner, Janak Aswani (40), the police said it was not a case of mistaken identity. They were to kill Aswani to scare the builder whose office is next door.

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“The men had been ordered to kill Aswani so that the builder would get scared and pay when contacted for extortion,” said DCP (Zone IX) KMM Prasanna.

In 2007, when the builder reportedly got extortion calls from Pujari, he was provided police protection for a short period. After the incident, the builder was again given protection.

On May 4, two men barged into Aswani’s shop and tried to hand him a packet on which Pujari’s name and cellphone number were scribbled. When he refused to take the packet, one of the men shot at Aswani. But the bullet got jammed. The man pulled the trigger again and the bullet grazed Aswani’s chest.