Fashion designer among 3 arrested for extorting 3.26 crore from Mumbai businessman

According to the Mumbai Police, the businessman and two accused were having dinner in a restaurant. The fashion designer went to the complainant’s room on the pretext of using the washroom. They later threatened the complaint of filing a rape case against him and demanded ₹10 crore

The Mumbai crime branch on Thursday arrested three persons, including a fashion designer, for allegedly extorting ₹3.26 crore from a 64-year-old businessman in the past two years by threatening lodge a rape case against him. The police suspect the involvement of more people in the racket and teams have been despatched for tracing them.

Mumbai crime branch laid a trap in Andheri on Thursday night and nabbed the fashion designer and two others when they came to collect money from the businessman. Their fourth accomplice has managed to flee. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The arrested accused – Lubna Vazir, 47; Anil Chaudhary, 42; and Manish Sodi, 41 – are residents of Andheri. The accused were produced before a metropolitan magistrate and remanded in police custody till November 25.

According to the police, the complainant is a Kolhapur resident and runs a sugar business.

According to the police, the complainant met Chaudhary in Goa five years ago during a business trip and the duo became friends. The businessman came to Mumbai two years ago in March and was staying in a five-star hotel near Sahar airport. Chaudhary and the complainant had planned to meet for dinner in the same hotel for a business-related discussion.

However, Chaudhary sent Vazir and another woman for the dinner. The women ordered dinner in the complainant’s room. After dinner, Vazir told the comaplainnat that she had to give a document to someone and left the room, while the other woman went to the washroom, stated the press release issued by the crime branch.

After a few minutes, Vazir returned. As per the release, when the complainant and Vazir were having a discussion at the door, the other woman came from the washroom and sat on the bed. She started screaming and telling him that she had taken his video and will defame him by circulating it on social media, the crime branch claimed.

The businessman got scared and called Chaudhary, who came to the hotel later. The four accused allegedly extorted ₹3.26 crore from the businessman in the past two years by threatening to defame him, said a police officer.

Some months ago, owing to the continuous harassment, the complainant switched off his mobile phone for a few days. The accused then called his office, claiming to be policemen and tried to take his son’s mobile number. However, but the staff did not provide the number, added the officers.

In the last week of October, the accused traced the businessman in the western suburbs and demanded more money. When he refused to pay, the accused allegedly kidnapped him and took him to Vazir’s residence, where they robbed his gold chain.

The businessman then approached a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and lodged a complaint with Sahar police. The police registered a case under the charges of kidnapping, wrongful confinement and extortion against the accused.

Mumbai crime branch then started a parallel investigation and laid a trap in Andheri on Thursday night. When the four accused came to collect ₹26 lakh from the complainant, the police nabbed Sodi, Chaudhary and Vazir. Their fourth accomplice, however, managed to flee, added the officer.

The police have recovered cash and the gold chain worth ₹49.35 lakh from the accused, said deputy commissioner of police Neelotpal from the crime branch.