Three held for trying to extort money from Goa minister

Pradip Malik, Amol Swami and R Patil, all hailing from Maharashtra, were picked up from outside the official residence of the minister and are currently being questioned for their motive behind the extortion bid.

Three persons have been arrested for trying to extort money from the State’s PWD Minister Deepak Prabhu Pauskar, the Goa Police said on Wednesday.

Goa Minister was being called by an unknown number and the caller was demanding ₹three crore from him. (AP Photo/Representative)

Pradip Malik, Amol Swami and R Patil, all hailing from Maharashtra, were picked up from outside the official residence of the minister and are currently being questioned for their motive behind the extortion bid.

“We have arrested the three and our investigations are on. They claim to be working on behalf of another person and we are trying to ascertain whether this is part of a larger extortion racket that is involved in similar crimes elsewhere,” Panaji Police Inspector Sudesh Naik said.

Pauskar said he received a call from an unknown number and the caller sought payment of ₹three-crore failing which he threatened to ‘fix’ him the way they had fixed others.

“Initially I dismissed the call thinking it must be the work of a prankster. But when they persistently kept calling and warning me of consequences that they did not specify, I decided to inform the police,” Pauskar said.

A trap was laid and the conmen were asked to visit the minister.