Two arrested in extortion case involving Mulund fruit wholesaler

Two individuals were apprehended in an alleged extortion case targeting a fruit wholesaler in Mulund. The arrested suspects, identified as Vikas Soni from Dombivali and Sohanlal Jaiswal residing in Mulund, were reportedly involved in threatening and extorting ₹15 lakh from the victim

Two individuals were apprehended in an alleged extortion case targeting a fruit wholesaler in Mulund. The arrested suspects, identified as Vikas Soni from Dombivali and Sohanlal Jaiswal residing in Mulund, were reportedly involved in threatening and extorting ₹15 lakh from the victim.

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The police said Jaiswal, a small-time fruit vendor and resident of Mulund, allegedly harbored jealousy towards the victim’s earnings. With Soni, he hatched a plan to extort money from the victim by forwarding his contact details to him.

According to the police, the complainant is a fruit wholesaler and many small vendors buy fruits from him in Mulund and Bhandup area and Jaiswal is one of them. Jaiswal knew that the victim earned good money and he even sometimes borrowed money from him. Recently, Jaiswal wanted money and credit for fruit but the victim refused so he decided to extort money from him, said a police officer.

Soni, having stolen a mobile phone from a friend who formerly ran a call center, utilised it to make threatening calls to the victim on December 4, demanding ₹15 lakh. Initially dismissing it, the victim grew concerned after subsequent threats and reported the matter to the Navghar police. Tracing the call’s location and sim card details, the police discovered the stolen phone’s connection, leading to a parallel investigation by the Property Cell.

The property cell got the link to the accused and Soni was taken into custody. During interrogation, Soni confessed to the crime, revealing that Jaiswal provided the victim’s number and instructed him to make threatening calls so both could earn easy money. Subsequently, both suspects were taken into custody and handed over to the Navghar police for further legal proceedings after they confessed their involvement, said deputy commissioner of Police Raj Tilak Roushan of the crime branch.