Journalism of Courage
Pune city police on Saturday caught two persons red-handed while they were allegedly accepting extortion money from a hotelier, officers said. The two were subsequently arrested, produced before a court on Sunday and sent to police custody.
Investigators identified the accused as Subhash Sahajrao, 35, of Warje Malwadi and Balasaheb Lonar, 58, of Haveli.
According to officers, Pune city Police Commissioner Retesh Kumaarr held a meeting of about 120 representatives of various business establishments last week, urging them to file complaints against extortionists and criminal elements among “Mathadi” workers or manual labourers who load and unload trucks.
Soon after, a hotelier from Warje Malwadi filed a complaint of extortion against the two accused, stated a press release issued by the police Sunday. Officers said the accused allegedly demanded Rs 2 lakh from the hotelier by threatening to file false complaints against him at the Pune Municipal Corporation. The accused also allegedly threatened to kill the hotelier.
Following instructions given by the police, the hotelier arranged a meeting with the accused on January 28, Saturday, in the guise of handing over the extortion money. A team from the anti-extortion cell of the crime branch, headed by inspector Pratap Mankar, then nabbed the two accused red-handed while they accepted Rs 1 lakh from the hotelier.
A first information report (FIR) was lodged later at Uttam Nagar police station as per sections 386, 397, 34 of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to extortion by threat of putting a person in fear of death/grievous hurt.
