Khandeshwar cops probe extortion calls to Panvel corporator’s husband

Navi Mumbai

The husband of a Panvel corporator has registered a case of extortion against unidentified men with Khandeshwar police for demanding protection money of ₹75 lakh.

The 53-year-old complainant had received the call last week for the first time. His wife is a corporator of an area in New Panvel. During the first call, the caller introduced himself as a member of Deshmukh gang and told him that for lifetime protection, he will have to cough up ₹75 lakh.

The caller also cited examples of Panvel residents who had paid the amount to the gang in order to buy their “protection”. The complainant told the caller that he does not have the amount and disconnected the call. In a few minutes, he got a second call which he did not answer. The call was followed by text message which which warned he would face trouble if he doesn’t answer the call.

A few minutes later, the complainant received a third call which he chose not to answer. The fourth call too went unanswered and was followed by a text message asking him to pay ₹25 lakh the next day. “The last message said that he will have to pay ₹25 lakh the next day and warned of dire consequences if he revealed the threats to anyone,” said a police officer from Khandeshwar police station.

According to police, the only Deshmukh gang is ‘Vicky Deshmukh’ gang in Navi Mumbai and most of the gang members including Vicky Deshmukh, is behind the bars currently. Police are investigating the case and are suspecting that it could be the work of someone familiar with modus operandi of Deshmukh gang and are trying to copy it.

The case has been registered against the unidentified accused under section 385 (Putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) of the IPC.