This hawker has property worth crores, runs extortion racket in Mumbai stations

The GRP has now slapped MCOCA on the hawker, his wife and six other associates accused of extortion, and attached many of his properties worth crores.

The authorities have slapped charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on a hawker, his wife and six other associates accused of extortion, and attached many of his properties worth crores.

The accused allegedly extorted money from hawkers at railway stations and would beat with sharp weapons if they refused to pay. (Rahul Raut/HT)

The Government Railway Police said the accused, Santosh Kumar Singh alias Bablu Thakur, has properties, including two high-end cars and a motorcycle, 10 houses in Mumbai, two land plots at his native place in Uttar Pradesh, a five-acre agricultural land, 1.5 kg gold, insurance policies worth around ₹10 lakh and cash in about 30 bank accounts.

Thakur was allegedly involved in extorting money from hawkers at railway stations and would beat and attack them with sharp weapons if they refused to pay, a police officer said, adding the accused has been booked under several Acts, besides (MCOCA).

The accused was running the extortion racket at Dadar, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Byculla and Kurla railway stations here as well as stations in neighbouring Thane city and Kalyan town, the official said. Thakur and his wife Rita Singh have multiple cases registered against them and many of them are still pending in court, Dadar Government Railway Police's (GRP) senior inspector Dnyaneshwar Katkar said. "We have invoked the MCOCA against Thakur, his wife and six other associates and attached their properties. The last case was registered against them under Sections 387 (extortion) and 392 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and further investigation is underway,” the official said.

(With inputs from agencies)