The Crawford Market parking lot extortion case just keeps getting bigger. On Thursday, the Azad Maidan Police arrested four more people - all managers of the lot - in the case. However, the owner of the company that had the contract to collect parking charges is still absconding
Cops had been keeping a watch on the parking lot in Crawford Market after receiving complaints. FILE PIC
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The Crawford Market parking lot extortion case just keeps getting bigger. On Thursday, the Azad Maidan Police arrested four more people - all managers of the lot - in the case. However, the owner of the company that had the contract to collect parking charges is still absconding. The racket was unearthed last Friday when Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma, DCP Zone 1 went to the lot in disguise.
The controversy surrounding the BMC-owned parking lot came to light when a Thane resident complained about malpractices there under the guise of fee collection. He had written t how touts asked for Rs 100 per hour for vehicles instead of the prescribed Rs 60 per hour as set by the civic body.
Also read: DCP catches South Mumbai's parking touts red-handed
On Thursday, the police arrested Mohammed Atik Mehmood Hasan Sheikh (46), Mohammed Salim Sheikh (47), Mohammed Raees Sheikh (41) and Ashrafali Shoukat Ali Sheikh (37). "All four are managers for the contractor. Their job was to pressurise vehicle owners to give them extra money by flexing muscle power," said a police officer, adding, "They also threatened vehicle owners of 'dire consequences' if they didn't agree to pay the sum demanded."
On April 28, the Azad Maidan cops and DCP nabbed a tout, as he was demanding Rs 100 per hour from a vehicle owner. Mukhtar Ahmed Sheikh was immediately arrested, followed by the arrest of Bismilla Sheikh alias Raja. Meanwhile, the police started the hunt for RT Corporation, the contractor for the lot, and managers.
"The four have been booked under IPC section 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using forged document as genuine), 384 (extortion), 34 (common intention)," said DCP Sharma.
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