A 30-year-old tattoo artist, Somnath Nanaso Shelke, who was allegedly framed by his seniors in an extortion case six years ago, when the youth had just begun dispensing his duties as a clean-up marshal of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has been acquitted by the Esplanade court.

Shelke claimed that his seniors were running an extortion racket, threatening to involve the police whenever anyone was caught throwing garbage at Marine Drive. However, when a group allegedly targeted by his seniors complained to the Marine Drive police, his colleagues allegedly framed him to save themselves, leading to Shelke’s arrest.