Mumbai-based gangster Ravi Pujari, who has been arrested in Senegal, has at least 25 cases registered against him in Gujarat. Most of these cases are related to extortion and threat calls allegedly made to businessmen and Congress politicians. Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani had also allegedly received threat calls from Pujari.
Following complaints by several Congress MLAs and others, the state government handed over the probes to state Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch for investigation. Among the people who received extortion calls is R S Sodhi, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Federation, that sells dairy products under the brand name of Amul.
Over the past two years, at least ten Congress MLAs allegedly received threat calls from Pujari. The names include party chief Amit Chavda, Congress leaders Govabhai Rabari, Chandrikaben Baria, among others. Panchmahal MLA C K Raulji allegedly received threatening text massages from someone claiming to be Pujari.