Ex-Chhota Rajan man held by Mumbai cops in Rs 10 crore extortion plot

Pic/Mumbai Police

As the city police face the new challenge of Lawrence Bishnoi's gang following the murder of politician Baba Siddique and shooting near Salman Khan's home, a former associate of the Chhota Rajan gang has resurfaced, demanding money from a builder whose identity has not been disclosed.

In a recent operation, the Crime Branch arrested five suspects, including Ganesh Sarodia (also known as Danny, 64), once a close ally of Chhota Rajan, along with a lawyer and three real estate agents. They allegedly threatened the builder demanding Rs 10 crore in "protection money" over a prime property on Mount Mary Road in Bandra.

The arrested individuals include advocate Pradeep Yadav, 40, and real estate agents Manish Bhardwaj, 44, Remi Fernandes, 58, and Shashikant Yadav 46. The investigation has also uncovered links to Rajan's notorious shooter, Satish Kalia - who was convicted for the murder of mid-day journalist J Dey - and associate Joseph Paulson.

According to officials from the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC), the suspects were caught while attempting to collect a Rs 7 lakh advance in Bandra. The complaint, lodged by a broker on behalf of the landlady who sold the plot to the builder, stated that the landlady initially sought Yadav and Fernandes's assistance in finding a buyer, thus providing them with access to property details.

Following the sale, however, the accused allegedly turned to harassment, demanding Rs 10 crore from both the landlady and the broker. Allegedly, Kalia visited the property and delivered a warning from Paulson, threatening serious repercussions if the payment was not made. An initial payment of Rs 7 lakh was reportedly given to pacify them, yet the demands persisted.

Inspector Arun Thorat informed the court that Sarodia and the others then shifted their threats towards the builder, sending intimidating messages and calls via WhatsApp. Negotiations reduced the demand to Rs 3 crore. On October 29, Inspector Thorat and API Jalinder Lembhe, the AEC conducted a sting operation at a café near Lilavati Hospital, where the suspects arrived to collect the Rs 7 lakh. Upon realising the amount was only Rs 7 lakh, Sarodia allegedly became aggressive, threatening further harm to both the builder and the complainant.