Amid growing complaints of extortion and pressure from miscreants in the industrial belt of Chakan, Pimpri-Chinchwad-Bhosari and Talegaon, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered police to take strict action against criminals and blackmailers harassing industrialists. Fadnavis asserted that if the police are ineffective, government will take action against the officials.
On Saturday, he launched several development initiatives of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). After the inauguration, Fadnavis spoke to party members and locals.
Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, cited in his conversation with one of the industrialists in Pune, who relocated to another state due to blackmailing by criminal elements.
“I met a businessman who intended to invest ₹6,000 crore in a project in Pune. But for a variety of factors, he was blackmailed. As a result, he relocated to Karnataka within a year. If things keep going the way they are, Maharashtra won’t have any investors and locals won’t have jobs tomorrow. Such offenders would face strict action,” he said.
Fadnavis who held a review meeting with police officials, said, “After Mumbai, Pune is the economic hub in the state. But it is noticed that people are being harassed in the industrial areas. I have clearly instructed police to take strict action against all those who are blackmailing in the name of contracts, labour or forcing industries to procure materials from their preferred businesses,” Fadnavis said.
Earlier last year, Pimpri-Chinchwad Small Industries Association (PCSIA) and transport associations approached the police against the surge in crime in the area.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier last year, Pimpri-Chinchwad Small Industries Association (PCSIA) and transport associations approached the police against the surge in crime in the area.
{{/usCountry}}According to Dilip Batwal, secretary, Federation of Chakan Industries, due to the lockdown, industries have already faced huge financial losses and now when they are slowly recovering, criminals are harassing them. “Taking advantage of such a situation, some local groups have started pressuring the industries to get supply of raw materials, water, food for the workers and they are threatening that they will not allow running the business here,” Batwal had said earlier.
In 2018, then German consul general Juergen Morhard during his last visit demanded that the police must get rid of the organised crime syndicates operating in Chakan industrial area where German firms are facing problems.