Image Source: TIMES NOW

Former underworld don from Karnakata Mutthapa Rai, who was battling cancer has died on Friday. He was being treated at Manipal hospital for cancer. The 'reformed' don was under the radar of state and central agencies for his alleged criminal activities. The former underworld don-turned-social activist was admitted to a private hospital in Bengaluru in critical condition. Mutthapa, during an interaction at his bungalow in Bidadi in January, revealed that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer. Muthappa Rai, who hailed from Dakshina Kannada district, was reportedly admitted to the hospital on Thursday night. In April this year, the Central Crime Branch officials grilled Rai for two hours over his alleged association with underworld don Ravi Pujari, who was extradited to India from Senegal in February 2020. I am 68 years old now, diagnosed with cancer. I survived even after being hit with five bullets. I am not afraid of death and living entirely on willpower, Muthappa was previously quoted. After beginning his career as a bank employee in Bengaluru, Muthappa Rai later opened a dance club and restaurant. He was deported to India in May 2002 from Dubai in connection with a passport case. Muthappa was later interrogated by the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Karnataka Police over his alleged links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. A native of Puttur, Rai later founded ‘Jaya Karnataka’, a not-for-profit organisation.