HC denies bail to Ravi Pujari in double murder case

The High Court of Karnataka has denied bail to gangster Ravi Pujari in the case pertaining to the fatal shooting at the offices of Shabnam Developers 13 years ago.

In 2007, Pujari’s henchmen had allegedly stormed into the offices of Shabnam Developers in Jayanagar, South Bengaluru, and shot down a receptionist named Shylaja and a driver named Ravi.

In February this year, Pujari was extradited to India from Senegal where he had been hiding for years and running an underworld syndicate. Police charged him in the Shabnam Developers case in June.

Pujari moved the high court for bail, contending that there are no eyewitnesses. His counsel said Pujari has been in custody for the last eight months and there was no progress in the trial. Further, the sessions court has acquitted three accused for want of evidence.

The charge sheet filed earlier was split between Pujari and other accused, especially because the gangster was absconding. Two sessions cases were numbered as 18/2009 and 713/2020.

Opposing the bail petition, the public prosecutor argued that Pujari was absconding for nearly 26 years and was brought back from abroad, where he had fled by impersonating one Antony Fernandes. He faces about 108 cases and if he is given bail, there are chances he will flee again, the prosecutor added.

“The trial court has to take a decision independently of the observations made in the sessions case 18/2009 (the first charge sheet in the Shabnam Developers case). The conduct of the petitioner shows that he hampered the trial in SC 18/2009. There are many cases pending against him. If bail is granted, it is not sure that he will appear before the trial court regularly,” the court said while dismissing the bail plea.