Mumbai: Crime branch close to cracking firing case

Mumbai: The investigation into last year’s Gajalee restaurant firing at Vile Parle revealed that the mobile phone number handed over to the waiter by the Ravi Pujari’s shooters, is an Australian number. Based on his last known location a few years ago, the crime branch officials suspect that Pujari is holed up in Australia and are verifying the call details of the number.

“The number belongs to Australia. However, Pujari could be using an international SIM and operating from a different country. We are scanning the details of calls made from the four phones seized from the accused,” said a crime branch officer.

The Anti-extortion cell officials arrested another accused in the firing case from Pune. Dhanpal Shettiyar, 48, an auto-rickshaw driver, was arrested from Pune. Shettiyar had fled to Pune following the shooting on October 21, 2016.

“Shettiyar had shown the restaurant to the shooters and had conducted the survey of the area along with other accused. He fled Mumbai to evade arrest,” added the officer.

Meanwhile, the anti-extortion cell (AEC) officials also took custody of the accused from Gujarat police. The duo, which was directly in touch with Pujari, was arrested for firing at a corporator in Anand district in January.

The two, Suresh Pillai and Sagir Momin were in the custody of Borsad police. They were brought to Mumbai on Friday.

“The accused were in touch with Pujari and used to take instructions from him directly. Momin was riding the bike which was used by the shooters to reach the restaurant,” the officer said.  

The duo has been remanded to police custody till February 15; more arrests are likely.