Two booked for extortion at Phoenix mall

After recent meetings with industrialists, senior policement have been instructed to take strict action against all anti-social elements and to wipe them out

PUNE: Pune police booked two people on Tuesday for extortion under the guise of Mathadi workers in the Vimannagar area. Crime Branch Unit 2 has identified the accused as Ravindra alias Ravi Sasane of Chandannagar and Mangal Satpute of Lohegaon.

Of the two, Satpute is on the run, while Sasane has already been arrested. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Of the two, Satpute is on the run, while Sasane has already been arrested.

As per police information, the complainant, Jitendra Ram, a Chinchwad resident, received renovation work for a Firstcry showroom in the Phoenix mall.

A truck of plywood arrived to unload it for the showroom’s interior work. At the time, the duo accused intercepted the complainant and demanded ₹8 lakh ransom. The accused also threatened that because he is a local, Jitendra would not be able to unload the truck without their permission.

According to police, following the negotiation, the complainant agreed to pay ₹4.5 lakh, of which ₹2 lakh was paid by cheque.

However, the accused called the complainant several times and threatened to kill him over the outstanding payment. As a result, the complainant approached the police, who then took the appropriate action.

ACP Narayan Shirgaonkar said, “After recent meetings with industrialists, our seniors instructed us to take strict action against all anti-social elements and instructed us to wipe out them. Hence, we have decided to take strict action against the culprits and booked them under relevant sections.’’

Shirgaonkar further told that Sasane was already in custody and a search of Satpute was going on.

A case has been registered at Vimantal police stations under 386,387,341 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and further investigation is underway.