E-Paper
Rickshaw driver arrested in Pune for extorting money in exchange for passenger’s phone
The rickshaw driver was earlier rewarded for returning a bag with ₹7 lakh in it to a passenger who had forgotten it
PUNE A rickshaw driver was arrested by Pune police on Monday for extorting a local businessman whose father forgot his phone in the rickshaw.
The rickshaw driver was earlier rewarded for returning a bag with ₹7 lakh in it to a passenger who had forgotten it.
The arrested man has been identified as Adarsh Babasaheb Paralkar (22), a resident of the Lonikalbhor area and a native of Bodka in Latur, according to the police.
A complaint in the matter was lodged by Shekhar Sidram Bhandari (31), owner of a washing centre and a resident of Keshavnagar in Mundhwa.
On October 23, the complainant’s father took an auto-rickshaw from Keshavnagar to the Gadital area in Pune. He forgot his phone inside the rickshaw and realised it after the auto had already left.
The complainant and his family started contacting the senior citizen’s phone which the rickshaw driver answered. However, the rickshaw driver - Paralkar - started demanding ₹6,000 for not releasing personal data on the phone.
The man demanded the money through an online transaction and made the complainant travel to Keshavnagar, Wagholi, and Hadapsar but failed to show up himself.
A case was registered against the accused under Section 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code at Mundhwa police station. Police sub-inspector Shivaji Kate of Mundhwa police station is investigating the case.
