Six arrested for extorting money from HR professional in Chakan

Six men have been remanded to five days in police custody by a local court for demanding extortion money from an industrial company in Chakan while identifying themselves as members of the head-loaders’ association.

The five arrested men have been identified as Kaluram alias Ajay Shankar Kaudre (39), Pradip Ramchandra Sonawane (32) both residents of Kharoshi in Khed; Ganesh Dashrath Sonwane (32) a resident of Kuruli in Chakan; Swapnil Ajinath Pawar (29), a resident of Ektanagar in Chakan; Dhondiba alias Hanumant Vinayak Vadje (32) a resident of Medankar wadi in Chakan, and Shrikant Sanjay Sonawane (30), according to the police.

A complaint in the matter was lodged by Shrimant Bharat Nikam (22), a resident of Kharabwadi, Chakan.

“The complainant works in the human resource department of the company. These men used the modus of threatening the HR with a law from 1969 that has provisions for employment of head loaders in industries. They had demanded Rs 50,000 to begin with and Rs 22,000 in the subsequent months,” said police inspector Ashok Pawar of Mahaluge police outpost.

“The complainant came to us and we laid a trap for the men when they came to accept the initial amount. We are now investigating if these people have done this in other companies too,” he said.

The men allegedly threatened the complainant that he will not be able to run the company without paying them a monthly sum of Rs 22,000. The accused allegedly wanted a man from their association to be paid the money in form of salary. However, the man would not be working in exchange for the money like a normal employee, according to the complainant.

A case under Sections 385 (putting a person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 387 (putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 143, 149, 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code along with Section 7 of Criminal Law Amendment Act is registered at Chakan police station.