Mumbai: Clean up marshal arrested for kidnapping, extortion

The Mumbai crime branch has arrested a cleanup marshal employed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allegedly posing as a policeman and kidnapping a man who was caught spitting in public

The Mumbai crime branch has arrested a cleanup marshal employed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allegedly posing as a policeman and kidnapping a man who was caught spitting in public. Under the pretext of taking him to the police station, the accused marshal allegedly took him to an isolated spot, threatened him and extorted ₹5,000 from him.

Mumbai: Clean up marshal arrested for kidnapping, extortion

Police said the incident took place on February 22, when the accused Amit Tawde, 29, a cleanup marshal with the G-South ward, caught Zubair Kayyum Khan, 22, spitting in public.

Tawde told Khan that he would be penalised for spitting in public and asked him to sit on his two-wheeler to take him to the police station.

After riding for some time, Tawde stopped the bike and started threatening Khan, pushed him and demanded ₹10,000 to release him. Khan paid him ₹5,000 and set himself free.

On Tuesday, Khan lodged a police complaint and also submitted to the police a video he had captured of Tawde’s bike registration number.

Crime branch unit-9 carried a parallel probe and nabbed Tawde on Wednesday. He was handed over to Mahim police station for further action.

“The identity card of cleanup marshal found in his possession is genuine. He has been arrested on charges of impersonation, kidnapping and extortion,” said Vilas Shinde, senior inspector of Mahim police station.