Bhatt office incident: Accused to be chargesheeted on Feb 26

Mumbai, Feb 12 (UNI) A Chargesheet against five members of the Ravi Poojari gang, who were arrested for allegedly barging into Bollywood producer Mahesh Bhatt's office in the latter's absentia on June 14 last year and threatening the staff, will be filed on February 26.

The five had allegedly barged into the office of the Bhatt and fired one round aimlessly, and, thereafter, left a note for Mr Bhatt stating that he should get in touch with Ravi Poojari on the phone.

All the five were today produced before the MCOCA court judge M R Bhatkar who extended their Judicial custody till February 26. The five include Santosh Appu Poojari (33), Ramesh Sudhershan Kanojiya (27), Arvind Mohan Devadiga (34), Nityanand Vithal Shetty (22) and Sampat Shankar Kotiyan (23).

Investigating officer Udaysingh Rathod told UNI that they would file the chargesheet against the five on February 26. Two suspects -- Suresh Poojari and Sajid -- are still absconding.

The five had been arrested from Ghatkopar where they had arrived to allegedly murder a hotelier on December 13 last year. Four imported pistols, a revolver, and 25 cartridges were seized from them.

Police claim that upon their interrogation, the five had confessed that it was they who were involved in the Mahesh Bhatt office incident. The five were also wanted in connection with the firing upon a builder at Andheri and a hotelier at Mulund, apart from several extortion cases in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

UNI