Mumbai Crime Branch Arrests Chhota Rajan Aide DK Rao for Intimidating Investors

The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested notorious gangster Ravi Mallesh Borra, alias DK Rao (59), a close aide of underworld don Chhota Rajan, along with two accomplices, for allegedly threatening investors on behalf of a builder who defaulted on payments exceeding ₹1.25 crore.

This is Rao’s second arrest this year, following his detention in January for allegedly issuing death threats to a hotelier in an extortion case. According to officials, the other two arrested are builder Mimit Bhuta and Anil Singh Alias Anil Parerao, who allegedly acted as mediators in the intimidation racket.

The builder reportedly collected crores from investors for a housing project in Ghatkopar but failed to deliver. When investors began demanding refunds, the builder allegedly roped in DK Rao to intimidate them into silence.

The builder had defaulted on payments worth over ₹1.25 crore. To stop investors from demanding their money back, he engaged DK Rao to threaten them, a senior Crime Branch officer said. Although the incident occurred last year, the formal complaint was lodged recently, prompting the Crime Branch to register an FIR and make the arrests. Rao and the others will be produced before the court on Saturday.

Rao’s long criminal record dates back to the 1990s when he began with petty thefts before joining Chhota Rajan’s gang, becoming a key player in extortion rackets across Mumbai. Over time, he developed his own network but continued his allegiance to Rajan. DK Rao has 42 criminal cases registered against him, including six for murder, five for dacoity, and multiple for extortion. In October 2022, the Bombay High Court granted him bail in an organised crime case where he allegedly made extortion calls from jail.

Crime Branch officials say Rao’s latest arrest highlights how underworld operatives continue to act as enforcers in real estate disputes, despite numerous arrests and bail orders. Further investigation is underway.