Union minister Nitin Gadkari's home and office in Nagpur recently had their security beefed up after a man made three threatening phone calls, according to a police official on Tuesday, March 21. The caller demanded Rs 10 crore and threatened to harm the senior BJP leader if the money was not paid.

The police official further mentioned that the caller identified himself as Jayesh Pujari, alias Jayesh Kantha, who had used the same name to make similar threatening calls to the minister's office in January.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Rahul Madane added that the caller made three calls to Gadkari's public relations office, with two in the morning and one at around 12 noon. The office is located opposite Orange City Hospital in Nagpur.

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According to reports, the individual demanded Rs 10 crore and threatened to cause harm to the Minister responsible for Road Transport and Highways, if the demand was not met. The Minister's staff promptly alerted the city police, who have now commenced an investigation into the matter.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police has stated that security measures have been enhanced at both the Minister's home and office.

On January 14, a man claiming to be a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang, identified as Pujari, allegedly made threatening phone calls to the public relations office of Gadkari, demanding a sum of Rs 100 crore.

Currently serving a death sentence in a murder case, Pujari is incarcerated at Hindalga jail in Belagavi, Karnataka. Despite the allegations against him, Pujari has denied any involvement in the threatening calls.

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