Maharashtra: Ex-chairman of VVMC standing committee gets extortion threat for Rs 1 cr; one booked

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An offence has been registered against a man for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 1 crore from the former chairman of the standing committee of the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra's Palghar, police told news agency PTI on Tuesday.

Based on a complaint, the police on Monday registered an offence under section 385 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code against Kishore Ambavkar for allegedly demanding Rs 1 crore from Prashant Raut, an official told PTI.

The complainant has claimed that he received calls from the accused between May and September 2023, the official told PTI.

The accused allegedly stated that he had tipped off the Income Tax department about the complainant and demanded Rs 1 crore, the official told PTI, adding that no arrest has been made in the case so far.

In another incident, a 33-year-old man wanted in a murder case in 2011 was nabbed by the police while investigating a theft in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police told PTI on Tuesday.

The police arrested Anuj Gangaram Chowgule on September 29 in connection with a theft reported in Virar, an official told PTI.

The accused allegedly stole a gold chain from a senior citizen in Virar on September 25, senior inspector Pramod Badakh of the Crime Unit-III Virar told PTI.

During interrogation, the accused revealed that he was involved in more than 25 serious crimes in Mumbai, Satara, Palghar and the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh, the official told PTI.

The accused was allegedly a contract killer involved in cases of murder, dacoity, thefts, etc., the official told PTI, adding that Chowgule was wanted in a case of murder registered with Mahabaleshwar police station in Satara in 2011.

Meanwhile, the Navi Mumbai police have registered an offence against two directors of a bitcoin trading company for allegedly cheating investors of Rs 39 lakh, an official told PTI on Tuesday.

Based on a complaint, the police on Monday registered an FIR against Uday Thakur and Bharat Mhatre under section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (In Financial Establishments) (MPID) Act, the official told PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)