Notorious history sheeter Cycle Ravi’s arrest on November 21, Bengaluru police believe, will go a great way in reducing hooliganism in many parts of the city.
Senior police officers say smart paperwork helped them nab Ravi, accused in several cases of murder and extortion.
Ravi had been acquitted in 25 out of 30 cases, and police say they had found it difficult to pin him down. He had been absconding for a year.
Harish Pandey, DCP South, says the police used legal provisions to make him surface.
“It took us four hearings in each case to get a non-bailable warrant issued against him. So far we have got four NBWs issued against him,” Pandey tells Metrolife.
The police then tracked down Ravi’s properties. “He has a house in Nelamangala and another in Salem. We collected details of all his properties from the registrar’s office and went asking for him. We told people living there that if he did not appear in person, we would seize the properties. We knew the message would reach him.” The police then approached the courts and sought orders to attach his properties. “So when we did this, his lawyers informed him and he came rushing. We had all our custody requests ready,” says Pandey.
Ravi’s arrest has made a significant difference to the control of rowdy activities, he says.
“He was into extortion and was threatening people that he would get them killed if they did not accept his terms in civil disputes. His accomplices have already been arrested and sent to jail under the Goonda Act,” he says.
Another officer investigating the case says Ravi’s arrest shows the power of rarely used legal provisions. “A rowdy may have many benami properties, but if he cannot save them, it sends out a strong message that he is not invincible, after all. Once the aura of invincibility is dented, he has a lot to worry about,” he says.
Pandey says Ravi’s arrest has shaken those running gambling rackets across the city.
“Ravi and his accomplices would put Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh in the hands of their agents. The agents would, in turn, put Rs 90,000 in the hands of smaller agents running gambling sessions, and they would return Rs 1 lakh. This racket was rampant, but has come down now,” Pandey explains.
How Ravi escaped the cops
An investigating officer says that Ravi would never use the same vehicle or remain in one place for too long.
“He was believed to be staying in Tamil Nadu, but he has his strong base in Pune and Kerala. He doesn’t use a cell phone. You can’t find any trace of his activities on the web,” says the officer.
Ravi was shot twice but he managed to survive. He used code words to communicate his location to accomplices. “He would move around with just a handful of people he trusted and wouldn’t let anybody new into his circle. He is that guarded,” says the officer.
In fresh cases, Ravi has been charged with murder, two attempts to murder, and ganja trading.
How he got his name
Ravi’s full name is Ravi Kumar, and his father owned a cycle shop in Srinagar, near Hanumanthanagar.
In 1997, when Ravi was a student, he got into a scuffle with other boys in his neighbourhood. Things turned nasty and one of Ravi’s close friends was severely injured. Furious, Ravi allegedly stabbed the man who had injured his friend. He was charged with murder. After this incident, people started calling him ‘Cycle Ravi.’
Police say Ravi has two wives and four children.