Fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari brought to Bengaluru from Senegal

Bengaluru/New Delhi: Fugitive gangster Ravi Prakash Pujari who is wanted in many heinous crimes, including murder and extortion, was brought in the early hours of Monday from Senegal via France to Bengaluru.

"Yes, we have brought him," a police officer told PTI requesting anonymity.

The gangster was nabbed in South Africa in a joint operation by the SA police and Senegal security agencies and was later extradited to Senegal, said police sources.

On learning about his arrest in Senegal, a team of police officers, including Additional Director General of Police Amar Kumar Pandey and Bengaluru Joint Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil went to Senegal to bring him.

The team completed the extradition process and finally brought him to Bengaluru by an Air France flight.

The don was arrested by the Senegal authorities last year and the India police tried it's best to catch hold of him but failed as a local court there granted him bail. The gangster then jumped the bail and fled Senegal and had holed up in South Africa, said police sources.

The gangster was allegedly involved in many heinous crimes and had set up his network in Karnataka.

The probe agencies have persistently pursued the case for his extradition with the authorities in Senegal. India had made a request with Senegal for his extradition in early 2019, sources said.

He has been on the run for over 15 years.

The National Investigation Agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Research and Analysis Wing would join the investigation, the sources said.

India appreciates Senegal

India has deeply appreciated the Senegal government's decision to extradite fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari to India, official sources said on Sunday.

Facilitation of transit provided by the Government of France has also been acknowledged, they said.

Pujari was associated with gangster Chhota Rajan, but he also worked for fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.