PMC's education board member gets extortion call

Amit Murkute, the 29-year-old member of civic body's education board, yesterday received two extortion calls from an unidentified person. The caller asked Murkute to pay him Rs 10 lakh and warned him of dire consequences if he failed to comply.

Pay up or else...u00a0Amit Murkute received the first call around noon and the second call around 5 pm. The caller told him that he was phoning in from Jharkhand, but he had people in the city who were keeping a watch on him

Speaking to MiD DAY, Murkute said, "I received the first call around noon and the second call around 5 pm. The person on the other end of the line abused me and then demanded Rs 10 lakh. He also threatened to kill me if I failed to meet his demand." The caller told Murkute that he was calling from Jharkhand, but he had people in the city who were keeping a watch on him.

Meanwhile, Murkute has lodged a complaint with Khadaki police station. "We have registered a non-cognizable offence and are investigating the case," said Assistant Sub-Inspector SS Patil.u00a0

Rs 10 L The amount that the caller, supposedly from Jharkhand, demanded from Murkute.