Mumbai: Three suspected members of the
notorious Ravi Pujari gang were arrested from here for their
alleged involvement in a shootout at a builder's office, and
firearms were seized from them, police said on Saturday.
"The trio, identified as Sanjay Thapa (33), an Indian
citizen of Nepali origin, Arvind Chavan (32) and Vikash Singh
(33), a shooter from Bihar, were yesterday apprehended from
the suburban Kurla while they were plotting to commit a
crime," said Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Himanshu Roy.
A revolver, a pistol and 10 live rounds were recovered
from the trio and they are booked under sections of the Arms
Act, Roy said adding, "The three were remanded in police
custody till May 6."
Along with the trio, one more shooter Santosh Singh
was also involved in the shootout in February at the office of
Ekta Builders in Nashik, Roy said adding "The three will be
handed over to Nashik police soon." Santosh recently died in
an accident in Bihar.
On February 25, two brothers Vikash and Santosh had
entered the office of Ekta Builders in Nashik and shot at two
staff members, injuring them seriously, before fleeing on a
bike. The owner of Ekta Builders had an old conflict with
Pujari, Roy said.
Thapa came to Mumbai from Nepal in 1990s and took up a
job in a hotel in south Mumbai, he said.
On his role in Nashik shootout, Roy said that on
Pujari's instructions, Thapa, who was paid Rs 3 lakh for the
job, called two brothers Vikash and Santosh to Mumbai, who
were later joined by another accused Ashwin Chavan, in Nashik
on February 25.
"Subsequently, Vikash and Santosh went to the office
of the builder in Nashik in a car and opened fire in which two
staff members were seriously injured," Roy said.
The accused, after committing the crime, abandoned the
car at Mumbai Naka, police said adding further probe was on.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, April 30, 2011, 23:11