Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Jan 23: Notorious gangster Ravi Pujari has been arrested in connection with a 2018 extortion case involving Bollywood choreographer and filmmaker Remo D’Souza and his wife Lizelle D’Souza. Although Pujari has been lodged in jail since his deportation from Senegal five years ago, he was formally arrested in this particular case only now, police said.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch produced Pujari before the Esplanade Court on Thursday, which remanded him to police custody till January 27.

According to police sources, Pujari allegedly threatened the D’Souzas at the behest of Satyendra Tyagi, who was already named as an accused in the case. Between October 2016 and February 2018, Pujari is said to have repeatedly made threatening calls to Remo D’Souza, his wife and their manager.

During these calls, Pujari allegedly pressured the couple to expedite the release of the film ‘Death of Amar’ and demanded Rs 50 lakh to “settle” the issue.

The case dates back to 2018, when Remo D’Souza and Satyendra Tyagi had entered into an agreement for a film titled ‘Amar Must Die’. Later, disputes reportedly arose between the two over financial matters and film rights. Tyagi allegedly claimed that he had invested in the project and that D’Souza owed him Rs 5 crore.

Police said Tyagi then allegedly sought Pujari’s help to recover the money, following which the gangster began issuing threats to the D’Souzas and their manager, demanding Rs 50 lakh as extortion.

Further investigation into the case is underway.