Pune: Man held with three aides for extorting Rs 5 lakh from grocery trader by posing as reporter

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A man has been arrested for allegedly extorting Rs 5 lakh from a city-based grocery trader by posing as a reporter of a leading English daily and threatening the shop owner of publishing his news about the sale of adulterated grains, police said on Wednesday.

Three aides of the main accused have also been arrested, they said.

A complaint in this connection was lodged by Tejaram Devasi, who runs the grocery shop in Mundhwa area of the city.

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The accused posed as a reporter from a reputed English daily and approached the trader along with his three aides. He alleged that the trader was indulging in adulteration of grains and selling it.

"The accused threatened Devasi that he would call the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials and defame him by publishing a news item. He then demanded Rs 20 lakh from him," the official from Mundhwa police station said. The trader paid Rs 5 lakh to the accused, but later approached the police and lodged a complaint, he said.

"We have registered a case under Indian Penal Code section 384 (extortion) and others. The main accused along with his aides have been arrested and a probe is on," senior inspector Ajit Lakade of Mundhwa police station said.

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