Gangster walks into trap laid for him on extortion complaint

Ashwin Naik had demanded Rs 50 lakh from Dadar-based builder, say police.

Ashwin Naik

Mumbai police arrested gangster Ashwin Naik in Central Mumbai’s Shivaji Park area on Sunday afternoon in connection with an extortion and abduction case registered against him and four others at Dadar police station. Wheelchair-bound Naik had gone to the office of the complainant, a Dadar-based builder, in an Innova car to collect the extortion money, police said.

Police said four more accomplices were arrested along with Naik around 3 pm after they laid a trap and caught them red-handed. Mahesh Patil, zonal deputy commissioner of police, said Naik had earlier collected around Rs 15 lakh as extortion from the same victim twice in instalments.

“The developer was abducted a few days ago and released by Naik on the condition that he would pay up the remaining amount of Rs 10 lakh within a week’s time,” said Nishikant Patil, senior police inspector, Dadar police. After being released, the builder approached police on Sunday after which the trap was laid.
According to police, Naik had demanded money over a 6,000 square feet property in Subhash Nagar. Naik and his accomplices will be produced in Bhoiwada magistrate court on Monday. The four others booked along with Naik are Pramod Karuskar, Janardhan Saphpad, Prathamesh Parab and Rajesh Tambe.

“The total extortion amount demanded by Naik from the builder was Rs 50 lakh. He was kidnapped by Naik in the past and upon his release approached police. A trap was laid and Naik was nabbed red-handed along with his henchmen,” said Joint Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti.

In April 1994, Ravindra Sawant, a member of Arun Gawli’s gang, had shot at Naik and his three police escorts at the Fort sessions court. The attack left Naik paralysed from below his neck. He reportedly fled to Kathmandu and was finally arrested in 1999.

Since then, Naik spent time in prison till his release in 2009. While in jail, Naik was accused of plotting to kill his corporator wife Neeta, whom he suspected of having an extra-marital affair. But he was acquitted in the case due to lack of evidence. Though he faced 16 cases, Naik was exonerated in all of them.

mumbainewsline@expressindia.com

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