In two separate incidents, the police have arrested four people for attempting to extort money by issuing threats. In Goregaon, the police nabbed a 26-year-old man who posed as a Lawrence Bishnoi gang member and demanded Rs 25 lakh cash and 1 kg of gold from a businessman after losing money in online gambling. In another case, the Charkop police arrested three people, including two women, for demanding Rs 2 lakh from a ration shop owner after falsely accusing him of stocking stolen ration supplies.

Targeted by employee

According to the police, Tejas Shelar, 26 — the accused in the first case — worked at the complainant’s chemical factory in Goregaon West for more than two years. Having lost around Rs 3.5 lakh in online gambling, he allegedly resorted to extortion in a bid to recover his losses.

The complainant, a 58-year-old businessman with offices in Goregaon, approached the police after receiving multiple threatening calls on August 26. In his statement, he said that he initially received three calls, which he ignored as he was busy at work. When he finally answered, the caller spoke in a language he couldn`t understand and then disconnected. The same number called again twice, but he cut the calls.

Later, when he received the call a second time, the caller spoke in Hindi and introduced himself as a member of the Bishnoi gang. The caller allegedly said: “You live in Juhu, your office is in Goregaon, and your factory is in Vasai. We know everything about you. We have received Rs 25 lakh and 1 kg of gold to kill you. We also know you have two daughters… one has just reached Goregaon. Four shooters have already been sent to your office, Vasai factory, and Juhu residence.”

The businessman said he repeatedly asked the caller to identify himself and explain the reason for targeting him, but the caller only claimed he had “received orders from above” and kept issuing threats. The caller demanded Rs 25 lakh and 1 kg of gold to spare him and his family. Following his complaint, Goregaon police registered a case and launched an investigation that led to Shelar’s arrest.

Acting under the guidance of DCP (Zone XI) Sandeep Jadhav, and Senior Inspector Suryakant Kharat, detection officers PSI Shivaji Savle, PSI Vijendra Kale, and their team from Goregaon police station, traced and arrested Shelar from Kansai village in Ambarnath. During questioning, police learnt that Shelar was addicted to online gaming. He had blown up all his savings and salary on gambling, hoping for a big win, but instead fell into debt. 

“Shelar knew his employer was a calm person. He assumed that if he threatened him in the name of the Bishnoi gang, the businessman would pay up,” said an officer from Goregaon police. “We have arrested Shelar, and he is currently in police custody. Further investigation is underway,” said Senior Inspector Suryakant Kharat.

Drama in Charkop

The Charkop police arrested Tarannum Khan, Sanjani Padwal, and Umar Lukman Khan for allegedly demanding Rs 2 lakh from a ration shop owner in the Charkop area. A case was registered at Charkop police station following the complaint.

The complainant, Nitesh Manyu Jaiswal, 37, a resident of Kandivli West, has been running Anand Provision Store, a ration shop, in Bandarpakhadi village. Around 11 am on August 26, a vehicle carrying 73 sacks of wheat from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) Godown in Borivli East arrived at the shop. Assistant Ration Distribution Officer Shailendra Kantilal Mayavanshi was present to supervise the unloading along with Jaiswal and his brother Abhishek.

Around 11.30 am, two women and a man approached the shop, accusing Jaiswal of stocking “stolen goods”. They identified themselves as journalists — Tarannum Khan, Sanjani Padwal, and Umar Khan — and threatened to file a police complaint. Despite being told by the ration officer that the goods were government-supplied, the trio allegedly continued to argue.

According to the FIR, the accused later took Jaiswal to the market area and demanded Rs 2 lakh to “settle the matter” and not go to the police. When Jaiswal and his brother refused, Umar Khan allegedly threatened to falsely implicate them in a “child abuse” case.

“The ration distribution inspector was present during the commotion and confirmed the wheat sacks were government supply. Many local people had also gathered, and thus the matter came to the police’s attention. Based on Jaiswal’s complaint, the trio was booked under the relevant sections for extortion, served notice and then released,” said an officer. 

This article first appeared on Mid Day