Extortion gang at IT hub nabbed

The anti-extortion cell of the city crime branch police on Saturday arrested a gang of five persons for allegedly extorting a ransom of Rs70,000 as ‘protection money’ from a transport operator in Hinjewadi Information Technology Park. Police suspect that there is gang of more than 30 persons threatening the companies and the transport vendors for ransom.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Avinash Anand Waghulkar (22), Santosh Babulal Vitkar (19), Kiran Balu Shelke (20), Sandeep Prakash Thakar (20), Praveen Bapu Kasale (20) and Dnyaneshwar Anand Waghulkar (20), all residents of Maangaon near Hinjewadi. A complaint in this regard was registered by the transport vendor with the anti-extortion cell, after the suspects tried to threaten him with dire consequences.

Additional commissioner of police (crime) Anant Shinde said, “On May 12, the vendor received a call from some unidentified person demanding Rs 70,000 as ransom. He was threatened with dire consequences, if the demands were not met. The vendor initially thought someone was playing a prank to harass him and ignored the threat. However, on May 14, a few of his buses were pelted with stones in the IT Park, which made him register a case with Hinjewadi police station.”

Shinde added that on the particular day, the vendor again received a call from the suspects, and this time they were aggressive and threatened him that several transport vendors and companies pay money to them, and if he would not fulfill their demands, they would vandalise his buses.

“They also asked him to bring Rs70,000 near a chowk at the IT park. However, when the complainant along with some friends went there with money, nobody turned up to collect the ransom amount,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) Rajesh Bansode.

Bansode said that later the vendor approached the anti-extortion cell and registered a complaint.

A team led by senior police inspector of the cell, Sachin Sawant, started investigations and tracked down the extortionists, ending in the arrest of five on Saturday.

The police have recovered a motorcycle with a fancy number plate from one of the suspects, which has no registration number on both the sides.

2 held for robbing couple of Rs500
A 45-year-old homemaker, Shobha Pawar and her husband learnt the hard way that being a good Samaritan leads to being robbed.

In an incident, which took place around 1 pm at Moshi on Saturday, Shobha opened the door to two strangers asking for a glass of water, and ended up being robbed of Rs500.

The Bhosari MIDC police arrested Mahesh Sawant and booked his accomplice in the case on Saturday afternoon.

Shobha and her husband, who works in a furniture shop, have been living in the area for a few years.

On Saturday, Sawant and his accomplice knocked on Pawar’s door. Police sub-inspector PM Kathe told DNA, “Sawant had asked for a glass of water. However, Shivaji refused to open the door and told them it was late.

Furious, Sawant threatened to break the door. That’s when Shivaji opened the door, and Sawant with his accomplice entered their home and demanded money and gold ornaments.”
Initially, Shobha and her husband refused to part with their valuables. Kathe said, “After being threatened, Shobha told Sawant to take the money from a sack.

Even as he did so, Sawant hit a cement brick on Shivaji’s head, causing Shobha to raise an alarm. The commotion made Sawant and his accomplice run away from the spot.”

Later, locals rushed Shivaji to a nearby private clinic for treatment. Shivaji has received injuries on his head, though he is not critical.
Acting on a tip-off, Kathe and his team arrested Sawant in Moshi area. “Sawant is a notorious criminal and has been arrested in rape, housebreaking and other serious offences in the past. We produced him before the court, which has granted him two days in police custody,” Kathe said.

“During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and told his accomplice’s name. We are searching for his accomplice, and will manage to arrest him soon,” the police officer said.