Jayesh Kasat, 42, a medical shop owner from Narayan peth, who also works as a police mitra, was arrested in an extortion case by the Pune police on Saturday.
A police mitra is a person who helps the police under the community policing scheme in various areas. The complaint against Kasat was lodged by Hemant Adsul, 55, the brother of Manoj Adsul, a man who is also embroiled in a case of extortion of Dr Deepak Prabhakar Rasne, 69, an Ayurveda medicine practitioner, and his son Dr Sahil Rasne, 34, who specialises in medical gastroenterology.
In August 2019, a woman had allegedly filed a complaint of sexual harassment at the Vishrambaug police station against Dr Sahil Rasne which he claims was fake because the complainant did not wish to pay Rs 500 as the consultation fee. When the police called Dr Sahil Rasne to the station, Dr Deepak Rasne, the Adsul brothers and Kasat assembled through mutual contacts to help him out.
Since the day at the police station, Manoj Adsul started suggesting that in order to avoid arrest, Dr Rasne must pay Rs 1.50 crore. Of the total amount, he demanded that Dr Rasne pay at least Rs 75 lakh up front. He transferred Rs 54 lakh to Adsul’s bank account and gave Rs 21 lakh to him in cash, according to his complaint.
Since then, Adsul kept on demanding more money, according to Dr Rasne. On January 2, Dr Rasne approached Kasat and asked him to help with Adsul’s demand for more money. As per Dr Rasne’s complaint, Kasat assure him that he will deal with the demands.
{{/usCountry}}Since then, Adsul kept on demanding more money, according to Dr Rasne. On January 2, Dr Rasne approached Kasat and asked him to help with Adsul’s demand for more money. As per Dr Rasne’s complaint, Kasat assure him that he will deal with the demands.
{{/usCountry}}According to Hemant Adsul’s complaint, on January 2, Kasat called him and his brother to his medical shop and threatened them with a case of extortion if Manoj did not return the money to Dr Rasne. He told them that he was close to multiple police officials and journalists. On January 6, the Adsul brothers claim to have paid Rs 5 lakh to Kasat, but Kasat failed to pass it on to Dr Rasne.
Kasat has claimed in his reply that there is a senior police officer and multiple journalists from locally renouned organisations involved in the extortion bid.
Subsequently, two cases were registered in the matter at Vishrambaug police station. Manoj Adsul was booked under Section 420 (cheating), 384 (extortion), 388 (extortion by threat of accusation of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life, etc), 389 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) while Kasat was booked under Section 384 (extortion), 386 and 387 of IPC.
“He was remanded to police custody till February 18. We are investigating under the guidance of senior police inspector Rajendra Mohite,” said police sub-inspector Sanjay Gaikwad of Pune police crime branch who is investigating the case.
The police are investigating the money trail between Adsul brothers and Kasat and if Kasat was working with anyone else.