Two men arrested for trying to extort Rs 5cr from Kandivli bizman

Police have arrested two men on Tuesday for allegedly trying to extort Rs 5 crore from a Kandivli businessman. The accused had sent a parcel containing live rounds of bullets and a letter demanding money in May, following which a case was registered. On Tuesday however, when the accused called again, they were trapped by police.

According to police sources, an unknown person delivered a sealed package to the watchman of a Kandivli building on May 27. After receiving the delivery, when businessman Kapil Joshi (name changed) opened the package, he was shocked to find two live rounds of bullets and a handwritten note demanding Rs 5 crore.

Taken aback, Joshi immediately approached police, taking along the watchman, while the latter registered a complaint, describing the unidentified person who had delivered it. Kandivli Police then drew a sketch on the basis of the watchman’s description, but were unable to trace the person.

On Tuesday night at 10 pm, Joshi received a call from an unknown number and a male voice on the other end of the line demanded Rs 5 crore in cash and threatened Joshi. After the phone conversation ended, Joshi alerted the police who immediately traced the number and the location of the two accused people, arresting them hours after the call was made.

The accused had sent a parcel containing live rounds of bullets and a letter demanding money in May

Police suspect the involvement of more accused in the case. Nitin Pondkule, senior police inspector of Kandivli police station said, “Two accused were arrested and more arrests are likely to be made. The names of the two arrested accused will not be revealed, so as not to hamper investigation.”

The two accused have been booked under sections relevant to committing extortion by putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt (section 387) and criminal intimidation (section 506 part 2) of the Indian Penal Code. The two arrested men were produced in local court and have been remanded in police custody until Sunday.