Fake forest officer arrested for extorting money

Based on a complaint filed by the state forest department, a first information report (FIR) was lodged at the Alephata police station on July 4.

Range forest officer (RFO) Vaibhav Kakade said, “We received complaints that a person, claiming to be a forest officer, and his aides intercepted vehicles on the Alephata to Gaimukhwadi road on the intervening night of June 28 and June 29. The fake forest officials and his accomplices allegedly threatened the people driving on this road and extorted about Rs 30,000 from them.”

“We confirmed that the person extorting money from people was not a forest officer. We filed a complaint at the Alephata police station in this regard. It was learnt that the accused had extorted money from a person by making him pay the amount through using the PhonePe application. The cops investigated it and identified the accused Gatkal. They then arrested him under section 384 of the Indian Penal Code. Search is on for his accomplices. A court remanded him in the police custody for two days. Meanwhile, another offence of extortion was lodged against the accused at the Otur police station,” said Kakade,