As many as 30 cases, including murder, are pending against the fugitive underworld don Ravi Poojary in different police stations, Mangaluru Commissioner of Police T R Suresh said on Friday.
The police had issued a red corner notice to Ravi Poojary in 2012 and had renewed it in 2017. Ravi Poojary is a native of Kalmady village in Malpe in Udupi district. He was initially wanted for petty crimes. He was sent to Mumbai to eke a decent living.
In Mumbai, Ravi Poojary made friends with goons from Udupi who were running an extortion business. He then reportedly came into contact with Chota Rajan through his trusted lieutenant Shrikanth Mama. Poojary became infamous after the murder of Bala Jalthe.
After jumping bail, he masterminded two more murders before fleeing to Dubai with Chota Rajan and Guru Satanam in 1996.
But a dramatic bid on the life of Chota Rajan in Bangkok soured his relationship with Chota Rajan. This forced Ravi Poojary to part ways with Chota Rajan.
Ravi Poojary ensured the loyalty of his members by bailing them out when in trouble and lavishing them with gifts. Using local boys, he terrorised entrepreneurs. His modus operandi was to make threat calls and his associates would scare businessmen by firing in the air.
In the past, police had succeeded in foiling his extortion rackets including the conspiracy to rob two top businessmen in the city in 2010.
Ravi Poojary had recently extended his extortion operation to neighbouring Kerala state by making threatening calls to actors in Mollywood.
There are 10 cases in different police stations in Udupi district in connection with the life threat against underworld fugitive Ravi Poojary.
Poojary had been engaged in extortion of money from industrialists and businessmen in Udupi district.
In fact, there was a house belonging to Poojary at Neragi near Malpe. Now, the house has been purchased by others at present.