Man moves court, alleges cop forced him to sign blank cheque

A Navi Mumbai resident recently filed a complaint with a magistrate court alleging that he had been forced to sign a blank cheque by a police officer to repay an amount. He alleged that the police officer had said he had cheated a friend. Surabhi Vaya reports.

A Navi Mumbai resident recently filed a complaint with a magistrate court alleging that he had been forced to sign a blank cheque by a police officer to repay an amount. He alleged that the police officer had said he had cheated a friend.

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The complainant claimed that he had not cheated anyone, but he was himself cheated by a couple who took Rs12 lakh from him, promising to help him buy three Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) flats and fled.

The complainant identified as Arvind Salavi, a resident of Kopar Khairane, claimed that he had paid Rs12 lakh to Prashant Waradkar and Pushpa for three flats in a Mhada society.

“Salavi sold his home to pay the said amount to the duo and also gave his second-hand car to them. Soon after receiving the payment, the duo escaped with the money and the car,” said Prakash Wagh, Salavi’s advocate.

On August 8, Salavi was called to Kopar Khairane police station where an inspector Bane said that he was required for investigation. “Salavi assumed he was being in connection with a case that he had lodged against the duo,” said Salavi’s advocate said.

Salavi claimed that Bane went to the bank with him and got him to sign a blank cheque. Bane also allegedly asked Salavi to deposit Rs2 lakh in his account.

Mukund Hatote, senior police inspector, Kopar Khairane police station, said: “Our officer never threatened him. We had around 13 people claiming that Salavi had cheated them. So we called him for questioning and he agreed to pay the said amount on his own. These people paid Salavi because Waradkar is his brother-in-law. It is obvious that he would be a person of interest in the investigation.”