Mumbai Crime Branch brings Gangster Prasad Pujari back from China on extortion and murder charges

Mumbai Crime Branch officials successfully brought back gangster Prasad Pujari from China to Mumbai, marking a significant development in the pursuit of justice. Pujari, wanted in several murder and extortion cases, including the 2020 extortion case involving a Mumbai-based builder, was arrested in Hong Kong last year on Interpol's notice.

In 2020, the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police had arrested Indira Vithal Pujari, Prasad Pujari's mother, in connection with the same extortion case. Along with Indira, two others—Sunil Angane and Sukesh Kumar—were accused of demanding a ransom of Rs 10 lakh.

Pujari, a former associate of deported gangster Kumar Pillai, had been evading authorities since 2010. His extradition from China was a long-pending endeavor of the Mumbai Police, finally coming to fruition after China approved the extradition last year.

Pujari's arrest in China, where he reportedly married a Chinese national, was a significant breakthrough for the Mumbai Police. His involvement in various criminal activities, including the firing case on Shiv Sena worker Chandrakant Jadhav in 2019, had made him a high-profile target for law enforcement.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident earlier this month, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) apprehended Mohammed Gaus Niyazi, another wanted gangster, in South Africa. Niyazi, a key figure within the Popular Front of India (PFI), was accused of the 2016 murder of an RSS leader in Bangalore. His arrest highlights ongoing efforts to bring to justice individuals involved in serious criminal activities.

(With inputs from ANI)