Man held for trying to extort Rs 75 L from bizman

The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of Mumbai Police has arrested three people for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 75 lakh from a Dubai-based businessman

The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of Mumbai Police has arrested three people for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 75 lakh from a Dubai-based businessman. The arrested include a partner of the businessman.

Police said the 35-year-old businessman and partner Mohd Iqbal Shafi (35),both Juhu residents,would purchase bedsheets,towels and toiletry from wholesalers across India and supply to 3- and 5-star hotels in Dubai.

In June,they had a dispute after Shafi shipped a consignment worth Rs 75 lakh to Dubai,police said. The complainant allegedly refused to share the purchase cost.

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After Shafi could not get his money back through negotiations,he turned to extortion, said a crime branch officer. He said Shafi made several calls to complainant,threatening him and his family with dire consequences if he did not pay up. When the complainant ignored the calls,he hired two friends to scare him.

Shafi first recruited employee Mohd Junaid Abdul Latif Khatri (35),a former police informer arrested by AEC in 2004,and later friend Salim Mohd Ilyas Shaikh (33),who operates a food stall in Mahim.

On July 4,Khatri and Shaikh allegedly accosted the complainant outside his Juhu home and threatened to kill him if he did not pay in a day,police said.

The complainant immediately approached AEC. Khatri and Shaikh were called to Shaan Cinema in Vile Parle East the next day to collect money and arrested.

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Shafi arrived in India on July 8 and was arrested the next day after Shaikh and Khatri confessed. All three have been sent to judicial custody till July 29.

srinath.rao@expressindia.com

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