2 highway police constables, 3 traffic wardens detained in alleged ₹5L extortion bid

Pawar said six men, including traffic wardens and others dressed in khaki uniforms, intercepted the family’s vehicle

Two police constables and three traffic wardens attached to the Highway State Police (HSP) have been detained for allegedly attempting to extort ₹5 lakh from a family by threatening to implicate them in a drug case, police said on Tuesday.

The accused then allegedly forced the complainant and the occupants of the car to accompany them to an ATM near Talegaon. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

According to Senior Police Inspector Akash Pawar of Kamshet police station, the incident took place on the intervening night of July 5 and 6 when the complainant was travelling to Lonavla with a friend and the latter’s family.

Pawar said six men, including traffic wardens and others dressed in khaki uniforms, intercepted the family’s vehicle. All were wearing reflective jackets bearing the initials “HSP” (Highway State Police). They allegedly threatened to book the complainant in a drug case and demanded ₹5 lakh, warning of legal consequences if the money was not paid.

The accused then allegedly forced the complainant and the occupants of the car to accompany them to an ATM near Talegaon. During the ordeal, the complainant’s friend managed to alert an acquaintance through a smartwatch. Realising that someone had been informed, two of the accused got out of the complainant’s vehicle, boarded their SUV and fled the spot, Pawar said.

“Based on the complaint, we have detained five suspects, including two police constables and three traffic wardens, and launched an investigation. We are searching for the sixth accused,” Pawar said.

He added that investigators are verifying the exact location where the complainant’s vehicle was intercepted, whether any money was actually extorted, and if the victims were taken to any other location during the incident. The detainees are being questioned, and formal arrests will follow once their roles are established through the investigation.

Police clarified that while the case has been registered by Pune Rural Police, the personnel under scrutiny are attached to the Highway State Police and are not part of the Pune Rural Police force.