Mumbai: Kandivali hotelier receives threatening call allegedly from underworld, police launch investigation

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A Kandivali hotelier has received a threatening phone call, demanding an extortion sum of Rs 5 lakh in the name of an underworld figure, police said on Tuesday.

Kandivali police has registered a case against the unidentified caller, while the crime branch has initiated an investigation into the matter.

The victim, a hotelier residing in Kandivali, was on his way to a hospital in Bandra with his wife on Monday afternoon when he received a call from an unfamiliar number.

Initially, he disregarded the call, prioritizing his wife's urgent medical needs. However, a subsequent call from the same number escalated the situation.

The caller, speaking in Hindi, claimed underworld affiliation and asserted possessing detailed information about the victim. A demand for Rs 5 lakh was made, accompanied by a strict deadline the following morning, with warnings of dire consequences if the amount was not promptly arranged.

Following the phone call, the victim received two threatening messages on his mobile device later in the afternoon. After tending to his wife's medical needs and returning home, he promptly reported the incident to the Kandivali police station.

A case against the unknown caller was registered, and investigation started.

A police official from the Kandivali police station assured, "We take such threats seriously and are leaving no stone unturned in our investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrator."

In another incident, the Malad police in Mumbai arrested two individuals involved in ATM thefts. The culprits, identified as Deepak Kumar Maurya and Deepak Saroj, underwent training in Uttar Pradesh to execute quick and efficient ATM heists. The court has remanded both in police custody.

The incident came to light when the Quick Response Team (QRT) of a private bank in Malad received a video showing the duo tampering with an ATM. The bank promptly alerted the police, leading to the Malad police's swift response. During the operation, Maurya was apprehended, and subsequent interrogation revealed Saroj's involvement. Senior Inspector Ravindra Adane directed Deputy Inspector Tushar Sukhadeve and a team of officers, including Satwase, Juwatkar, Gawand, Kate, and Doifode, to investigate the matter further.

Acting on intelligence that Saroj was near the Dahisar East railway track, the police set a trap and successfully apprehended him.

Investigations revealed that both Saroj and Maurya, hailing from Pratapgad, Uttar Pradesh, received training in ATM theft techniques in their hometown.

After practicing their methods locally, they arrived in Mumbai around ten days ago and successfully executed thefts at multiple ATM locations by tampering with the machines. Their plan involved returning to Uttar Pradesh after dividing the stolen proceeds.