MLA gets extortion call from Ravi Pujari

March 5, 2015

Belagavi, Mar 5: Belagavi South MLA Sambhaji Patil received an extortion call, with the caller asking the legislator to pay Rs four lakh to five lakh.

Following this, the legislator registered a police complaint on Wednesday.

Patil said that the caller, who identified himself as Ravi Pujari, asked him for the money. The call has been traced to Australia.

The caller twice called the landline phone number. Since it went unattended, the person called the mobile phone number of Patil.

Police Commissioner S Ravi, confirming the complaint, said that the police were investigating the case.

The following is the summary of the brief conservation between “Ravi Pujari” and Mr. Patil:

‘RP’: Have your heard my name, Ravi Pujari?

SP: No, I have not.

‘RP’: I am Ravi Pujari, now in Australia and in need of money; I know you have helped many others, even the Bandiwadekar Company of Naganwadi of Chandgadh taluk in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.

SP: No, I did not help any Bandiwadekar company.

Asked whether Ravi Pujari threatened him or if it was just an extortion call, Mr. Patil denied that the caller threatened him. But, the tone and the manner in which he sought financial help was incomprehensible and I told him whatever I wanted to say, he said.

Mr. Patil, a four-time Mayor of Belagavi and senior leader of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi, met Police Commissioner S. Ravi and registered a complaint in this connection. He also informed the Chief Minister, the Home Minister and top police authorities at Bengaluru about the call.

Mr. Ravi said that investigation is being taken up immediately.

Interestingly, “Ravi Pujari” seems to have referred to Prakash Bandiwadekar, who was wanted in cases of murder and extortion and arrested at Naganwadi in July last. The Indian fugitive, who is wanted in several criminal cases, including murder and extortion, and also in relation to attempts to extract money from Bollywood stars, including Shahrukh Khan, is reportedly absconding and operating the extortion racket from abroad.

His call to Mr. Patil suggested that the fugitive is hiding in Australia.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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