Nagpur: In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will investigate the threat calls made to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. The calls were made by a murder convict named Jayesh Pujari alias Kantha, who was arrested by Nagpur police from a jail in Belgavi, Karnataka.
The NIA’s investigation will be crucial in uncovering the full extent of this terror network and bringing the culprits to justice. On January 14, Pujari made a threat call to Gadkari’s public relations office, demanding Rs 100 crore and claiming to be a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang. He made another call on March 21, threatening to harm Gadkari if Rs 10 crore was not paid.
Pujari was brought to Nagpur on March 28 from a jail in Belagavi city of Karnataka State, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was invoked against him. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has given the green signal to the NIA officials to go ahead with the investigation on the terror angle in the case as Pujari had relations with dreaded terrorists including Lashkar-e-Taiba’s South Division chief Captain Naseer.
Pujari had also taken training in arms in the North-East parts of the country. The NIA officials already have a detailed progress report of the case, and more shocking information is likely to come out during the investigation. This case highlights the need for stronger measures against prison radicalisation and the spread of terrorism in jails, claimed sources. During Pujari’s interrogation, it was revealed that he had met Naseer in jail and received training in bomb making. He also came in contact with other terrorists in the jail, including Fahad Koya, Afsar Pasha, as well as ‘D’ Gang members Rashid Malabari and Ganesh Shetty.
These accused were supporting finance to Pujari in the jail. The police received information that Pujari gave a ‘contract’ to Shakeel to kill former Karnataka DCM Ishwar Appa. Shakeel was first arrested in 2018 for carrying drugs, and then in 2019, he was caught in the same crime. In 2021, he was arrested in a kidnapping and rape case. He met Pujari in jail, and Pujari helped him get bail.
