MH-ARREST-PUJARI

The Crime Branch of the Mumbai

police arrested an alleged aide of fugitive gangster Ravi

Pujari from suburban Goregaon Wednesday.

William Albert Rodricks (21) was nabbed from Oshiwara

area by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Crime Branch, a

police official said.

Rodricks allegedly kept Pujari informed about

builders in the area who could be targeted for extortion, he

said.

He came under the scanner when a Goregaon-based

builder got calls from Pujari, demanding Rs 2 crore, said

inspector Sachin Kadam of the AEC.

Probe revealed that it was Rodricks who had provided

the builder's contact details to Pujari, he said.

The builder initially ignored the threats. He decided

to approach the police only when his brother and sister-in-law

and even his nephew, who was studying abroad and was on India

visit for a few days, got similar threatening calls for money,

another official said.

AEC sleuths suspected that a local person could be

providing information about builders in the area to Pujari who

is believed to be abroad, and zeroed in on Rodricks, he said.

Rodricks was arrested under IPC section 387

(extortion). A court remanded him in police custody till

January 19, he said.

The police were looking for his aides, the official

added.