Mumbai: 3 aides of Pujari gang convicted for extortion, two gets 10 year jail

A special MCOCA court Friday convicted three aides of gangster Ravi Pujari for demanding extortion from a Chembur based contractor in 2014.

While Vijay Rao and Mahesh Pawar were sentenced to ten years in jail, Sudhakar Kuthe got a four-year jail term, the prosecution said.

Judge S M Bhosle found them guilty of the offence punishable under IPC section 387 (extortion), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) as well as provision of the Arms Act and Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

However, for want of evidence the court acquitted Yusuf Bachkana who was in touch with the convicted accused on phone from jail, chief public prosecutor Jaisingh Desai said.

The accused had demanded Rs 2 crore from the contractor, after which he approached the police and the accused were held in 2014, Desai said.

During the course of trial, the prosecution examined 23 witnesses, he added.