The Bharati Vidyapeeth police on June 24 arrested four persons, including the founder-president of Bhim Sangharsh Sanghatana, for allegedly trying to extort ₹10 lakh from a complainant by threatening to have his buildings demolished and issuing death threats, police said on Saturday.
The accused, Vinod Nivrutti Gaikwad, Sangram Dattatray Sonawane, Sudhir Mugut Shedge and Nilesh Baban Kumbhar, were booked after police caught Gaikwad and Sonawane allegedly accepting ₹50,000 during a trap at Kinara Hotel in Katraj. The other two were arrested later.
According to police, the complainant had constructed a building and two houses for the Mamata Foundation near Huzurpaga School in Mangdewadi. Gaikwad allegedly threatened to pursue demolition complaints with the Pune Municipal Corporation unless ₹10 lakh was paid and also issued death threats.
Police said Gaikwad had already received a Titan wristwatch and ₹10,000 through Google Pay, while ₹5,000 had been transferred to Sonawane’s bank account before the trap was laid.
A case has been registered under Sections 308(2), 308(3) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police seized cash, mobile phones, vehicles and other articles worth ₹7.09 lakh.
Senior Police Inspector Mansingh Patil said, “The accused allegedly attempted to extort ₹10 lakh by threatening the complainant with demolition of the buildings and serious consequences, including threats to life. Acting on the complaint, we laid a trap and caught two accused while they were accepting ₹50,000. The accused, following their arrest, were produced before the court, which remanded them in police custody till June 29.”
{{/usCountry}}Senior Police Inspector Mansingh Patil said, “The accused allegedly attempted to extort ₹10 lakh by threatening the complainant with demolition of the buildings and serious consequences, including threats to life. Acting on the complaint, we laid a trap and caught two accused while they were accepting ₹50,000. The accused, following their arrest, were produced before the court, which remanded them in police custody till June 29.”
{{/usCountry}}API Ganesh Mohite is probing whether the accused targeted other builders, contractors or property owners using a similar modus operandi.