Nagpur Court Sentences Two for Threatening Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

In a significant ruling, a Nagpur court has sentenced two men to five years in prison for making threatening calls to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari from a Karnataka jail. The court found them guilty under multiple sections of the IPC and UAPA. The case involved demands for extortion and connections to terrorist organizations. The investigation revealed that the accused were operating illegally from prison, using mobile phones to communicate threats. This case highlights the ongoing issues of criminal activities within correctional facilities and the challenges law enforcement faces in curbing such incidents. Read on for more details about the court's findings and the background of the accused.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 16, 2026, 16:04 IST

Court Ruling on Threatening Calls

A special court in Nagpur has sentenced two individuals to five years of rigorous imprisonment for making threatening phone calls to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari from a Karnataka prison in 2023. The ruling was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Anil Kumar Sharma, who found notorious criminal Jayesh Pujari, also known as Kantha, and terror suspect Afsar Pasha guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Both offenders are currently incarcerated in Nagpur Central Jail.

Charges and Sentencing Details

The court convicted them under IPC sections 385 and 387 (threatening to kill or cause serious injury for extortion), 506(2) and 507 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (common intention), along with UAPA sections 10 (membership in an unlawful organization), 13(1) (participation in unlawful activities), and 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist acts). However, they were acquitted of charges under UAPA section 20 (membership in a terrorist gang or organization). The sentences for various charges will run concurrently.

Details of the Threatening Calls

According to the prosecution, the first threatening call was received on January 14, 2023, at Gadkari's public relations office in Nagpur. During this call, the accused allegedly demanded ₹100 crores and claimed connections to the Dawood Ibrahim gang. At that time, both were imprisoned in Hindalga Central Jail in Belagavi, Karnataka.

Second Call and Investigation Findings

A second call was made on March 21, 2023, where the accused threatened to kill the minister and detonate a bomb if their demand for ₹10 crores was not met. Following these threats, the Dhantoli police registered two separate cases. During the investigation, it was discovered that the accused were illegally operating from within the jail using mobile phones and SIM cards. Forensic analysis of the seized phones revealed messages containing extremist references, including 'Long Live Taliban' and connections to other radical groups.

Background of Afsar Pasha

Afsar Pasha's background further complicated the case, as he was previously linked to terrorist activities and allegedly associated with operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He reportedly received bomb-making training in Bangladesh and was suspected of involvement in training individuals connected to the 2022 Mangaluru cooker bomb blast. Police officials indicated that Pasha and Pujari were spreading extremist ideologies among inmates at Hindalga Jail, with evidence of illegal financial transactions and smartphone usage found within the prison.