Two including a journalist arrested for extorting businessman

The accused have been identified as Mahesh Saudagar Hanme a journalist from Solapur and his aide Dinesh Hanme

The Pune city police on Thursday arrested two persons, including a journalist, for allegedly extorting a prominent businessman of ₹5 crore.

According to police officials, the journalist would send fake news and videos to the businessman who works at Eon IT Park on WhatsApp to malign is image. In return he asked the businessman to give ₹5 crore ransom. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The accused have been identified as Mahesh Saudagar Hanme a journalist from Solapur and his aide Dinesh Hanme.

According to police officials, the journalist would send fake news and videos to the businessman who works at Eon IT Park on WhatsApp to malign is image. In return he asked the businessman to give ₹5 crore ransom. Accused also threatened the businessman that he would register fake cases against him at the police station.

Till date the businessman gave ₹3.80 lakh to the accused. However, on Thursday, the accused demanded ₹50 lakh. The businessman then approached the police to register a case, said officials.

Immediately, a team under senior police inspector Pratap Mankar headed towards Mohol in Solapur district and laid a trap to nab the accused.

However, the accused suspected police movement at Patas Toll Plaza and tried to run over their vehicle on the police . At that time police sub-inspector Shrikant Chavan fired two rounds aiming at the tyres of the vehicle and arrested the accused successfully, said officials.