Cops believe fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari may be trying to make the desert city the hub for his extortion activities

Dubai may soon become the capital of underworld activities in the region. Police are keeping a close watch on famous personalities who have been visiting the desert hotspot recently.

"Based on information, we are keeping a watch on activities in Dubai.
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The police state that Pujari had spent a few years operating out of Dubai and could be back targetting Bollywood celebrities in the Gulf

Officials are keeping tabs on arrival and departure of some tainted personalities to and from the Gulf countries," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy.

Roy pointed out that his men are keeping a strict vigil on fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari and his men, who could stage a comeback to fill in the vacuum after the arrest of Prakash Pandey alias Bunty Pandey last year.

According to Roy, Pujari had spent a few years operating out of Dubai and could be back targetting Bollywood celebrities in the Gulf.

Keeping a watch

Other gangsters being watched by the police are Bharat Nepali and Ejaz Lakdawala, who were trying to flex their muscles in the past one year.

A Crime Branch officer pointed out that a large number of Dawood's sympathisers prefer to go out of the country to talk to the don and his associates.

They fear their calls could be tracked leading to their prosecution under the provisions of MCOCA.

Crime Branch officials explained that the extortion graph of the city has spiralled down by almost 80 per cent in the past two years because of this reason.

Intelligence sources disclosed some of Dawood's loyalists could be headed for Karachi via Dubai, as they are capable of pulling off the visit without getting the passports endorsed at Karachi.

This modus operandi first came to light when two gutka barons headed for Karachiu00a0 for Dawood's intervention in
settling a business dispute in 2000.

The two came under the scanner of Mumbai Crime Branch subsequently. The police's list also includes several builders who visited Dubai in recent weeks and could have met Dawood to ask for his protection.

The Dubai government went on a cleansing drive after Dawood's right-hand-man Sharad Shetty was gunned down by rival Rajan's shooters inside India Club on January 19, 2001.

This resulted in deportation of over 20 gangsters from Dubai in the next few months.