MUMBAI: Former IPL chief Lalit Modi ’s legal counsel Mehmood Abdi on Sunday evening lodged a complaint with the Oshiwara police, alleging that he had received threat calls from fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari . After Abdi sought security on the grounds that the gangster could harm him and his family members, police protection has been provided.

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The crime branch’s anti-extortion cell, which is probing the case, said that the gangster has not demanded any extortion money and could just be trying to get some publicity.

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Abdi, an Andheri resident, in his complaint, stated that the gangster had called him and warned against defending Modi in his legal matters. “On Sunday, I received a call from an international number and the caller identified himself as Ravi Pujari calling from Australia. He asked me why I was defending Lalit Modi. When I told him I was doing my duty as his legal counsel, he threatened me and said that in the past, he had bumped off a lawyer in Bangalore. He asked me to desist from attending Modi’s matters and threatened to harm me and my family, adding that he knew where I resided.”

Pujari then allegedly told Abdi to ask Modi to call him and gave him his international number. Abdi said that since he was driving when the call came, he could not note down the number. “We have received Abdi’s complaint,” said deputy commissioner Dhananjay Kulkarni.

A source in the crime branch said that Pujari could call up Modi too and demand extortion money. On several occasions, Modi has filed complaints with the Mumbai police against the Dawood gang, who, according to him, has been threatening him.

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