Gangster Ravi Pujari Arrested for Threatening Remo D’Souza, Demanding ₹50 Lakh; Case Dates Back Eight Years

Notorious gangster Ravi Pujari has been arrested by the Mumbai Police Anti-Extortion Cell in connection with a long-pending case involving threats and extortion attempts against renowned choreographer-filmmaker Remo D’Souza and his wife-manager Lizelle D’Souza. The case dates back to 2018, when Pujari allegedly demanded ₹50 lakh and issued repeated threats over a film-related dispute.

Pujari was produced before a Mumbai court on Thursday, January 22, which remanded him to police custody till January 27. According to the police, the arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a case that remained unresolved for years despite Pujari’s extensive criminal record.

The matter reportedly stemmed from a dispute over the film initially titled ‘Death of Amar’, which later underwent a name change to ‘Amar Must Die’ following an agreement between Remo D’Souza and co-accused Satyendra Tyagi. However, disagreements over the film’s rights and financial claims soon escalated. Pujari allegedly claimed that he had invested in the project and asserted that ₹5 crore was still due to him.

Police officials stated that Satyendra Tyagi, who has already been arrested in the case, had hired Ravi Pujari to recover the money. Acting on Tyagi’s instructions, Pujari allegedly made multiple threatening phone calls to Remo D’Souza, his wife, and their manager in October 2016 and February 2018, pressuring them over the film’s release and demanding ₹50 lakh to “settle” the dispute.

Ravi Pujari, once a close associate and sharp shooter of underworld don Chhota Rajan, has a long criminal history. He was earlier arrested in Senegal around five years ago and is wanted in over 200 criminal cases, including several involving threats and attacks on Bollywood celebrities. Despite this, he had not been formally arrested in the Remo D’Souza extortion case until now.

Mumbai Police officials confirmed that investigations are ongoing and further questioning during custody may reveal more details about the extortion network and Pujari’s role in similar cases.

The arrest brings renewed attention to the long-standing issue of extortion threats faced by members of the film industry and is being seen as a crucial step toward justice in an eight-year-old case.