Journalist Held for Extortion After Demanding Rs. 50,000 from Spa Owner in Rahatani
Police lay trap as accused allegedly accepts Rs. 10,000; cash, mobile phone and car worth Rs. 2.77 lakh seized
Pimpri-Chinchwad : The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have detained a 35-year-old journalist associated with a weekly publication for allegedly demanding Rs. 50,000 from a spa owner in Rahatani and threatening to publish newspaper reports to shut down the business if the money was not paid.
The accused, Akshay Arun Waghmare, a resident of Khadki in Pune, was apprehended by the Anti-Extortion Squad of the Crime Branch while allegedly accepting Rs. 10,000 near Sai Corner at Jagtap Dairy Chowk in Rahatani on October 9. Police seized cash, a mobile phone, an identity card and a Honda car, collectively valued at Rs. 2,77,500, from him.
According to the police, Sajid Mansoor Pendhari, 27, who operates the Earth Spa Centre in Rahatani, lodged a complaint with the Anti-Extortion Squad on October 9. The complainant alleged that someone had provided false information to the police through the Dial 112 emergency helpline regarding the spa centre, causing him mental harassment.
The accused allegedly demanded Rs. 50,000 to allow the spa centre to continue operating. He reportedly threatened to publish news reports in newspapers to force the business to shut down if the demand was not met. The complaint also alleged that he threatened to kill the spa owner if he resisted further.
During verification of the complaint, the police found that the person concerned was allegedly demanding money through repeated phone calls and personal meetings, officials said. Following this, the Anti-Extortion Squad laid a trap in the presence of two panch witnesses. Waghmare was allegedly caught accepting Rs. 10,000 near Sai Corner at Jagtap Dairy Chowk on October 9.
A case has been registered at Kalewadi police station. The accused and the seized property have been handed over to the Kalewadi police for further investigation and legal proceedings.
The operation was carried out by a team led by Senior Police Inspector Rajendra Patil and Police Sub-Inspector Ramesh Gaikwad, along with police personnel Abhimanyu Bansode, Sunil Kangude, Pradeep Pote, Kiran Jadhav, Pradeep Godambe, Ramesh Mavaskar, Kishor Kamble and Dadabhau Sabale.
The allegations are subject to investigation, and the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
