PUNE: The Pimpri-Chinchwad police on Thursday arrested four Right To Information (RTI) activists for allegedly demanding ₹5 crore from representatives of a private company in MIDC Bhosari. The company claimed the activists threatened to disrupt its operations and kill its representatives if the demand was not met.
The threats were issued between May 8 and September 10. An FIR was registered at Bhosari MIDC police station on September 10, and the accused were arrested the same day after they walked into a police-laid trap.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Rahul Premnarayan Mishra (38), Altaf Usman Janvekar (53), Ramesh Bhima Manjrekar (39) and Sunil Rajendra Kanu (35), all residents of Thane. They were arrested after allegedly taking a bag containing ₹25 lakh in cash as the first installment toward the ₹5 crore demand.
The complainant, Suvarna Fibrotech Pvt Ltd, manufactures fiberglass composite moulded products and has a tie-up with the Thane Municipal Corporation.
Rohidas Pawar, deputy commissioner of police (crime), said, “The accused are activists who allegedly contacted company representatives by phone, claiming that they had obtained the firm’s documents through the RTI Act. They allegedly told the representatives that they found several irregularities in the documents and demanded ₹5 crore if the company wanted to continue its business in Maharashtra.”
The complaint also mentions that the accused allegedly threatened to “ruin” the company and threatened to kill the representatives if the money was not paid.
{{/usCountry}}The complaint also mentions that the accused allegedly threatened to “ruin” the company and threatened to kill the representatives if the money was not paid.
{{/usCountry}}Based on the complaint, the Pimpri-Chinchwad police’s anti-extortion team laid a trap. The four accused arrived in a car to meet the company representatives. Accused Rahul Mishra allegedly accepted the cash kept in a black bag, after which the police arrested all four.
A case was registered under Sections 308(3), 308(4), 308(5) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey said, “Those attempting to extort money by creating fear in industrial areas will receive no leniency or tolerance. Strict legal action will be taken to effectively curb such criminal activities. Citizens and industrialists who receive any kind of extortion demand or threat are urged to immediately contact the Anti-Extortion Squad or the Crime Branch at 7517-7517-593.”