KOCHI: Underworld don Ravi Pujari has admitted to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) that he targeted actor Leena Maria Paul believing that she had over Rs 100 crore in assets. It is learnt that Pujari has also confessed to his involvement in some other extortion incidents in the state during interrogation as part of the probe into the bullets being fired at Leena’s parlour at Panampilly Nagar in Kochi in December 2018.
According to sources, Pujari and his gang had been monitoring Leena since 2015 after she and her partner were booked in a cheating case. “Somehow, he came to know that Leena owned assets worth over `100 crore. Believing it, he directed his gang to monitor Leena. He thought that with a mere death threat, he could extort money from the actor. He never thought that the police would intervene in the matter,” a source said.
According to ATS, Pujari operated a Mangaluru-based gang that helped him in extortion activities. The gang operated in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka, mainly extorting money from businessmen and celebrities. “It was through the Mangaluru-based gang that Pujari came to know about Ajaz who was given the quotation to threaten Leena. Ajaz hired Bilal and Vipin who fired the bullets. Monayi arranged the pistol for the purpose.
Bilal and Vipin were given practice in using the pistol at an isolated place in Kalamassery. Members of the Mangaluru-based gang are yet to be identified. Monayi also has links with criminal gangs in North Kerala and Mangaluru,” the source said. Already, lookout notices have been issued against Ajaz and Monayi who managed to leave the country before agencies started their search. Both are suspected to be in the UAE and attempts are being made via the Indian Embassy there to trace them.
It was on December 15, 2018, two bike-borne assailants fired bullets at the salon owned by Leena. Later, Pujari claimed responsibility for the incident and demanded a sum of `25 crore from her. Pujari who had been hiding in Senegal using a fake identity was extradited and arrested by the Karnataka police last year.