Chhota Rajan aide held for extortion

The Mumbai police has arrested a repeat offender and close aide of Chhota Rajan, Nilesh Dinkar Paradkar alias Shatlya, in an extortion case. According to police officials from the Bhandup police station, Paradkar and another gangster, Raghu Shetty, had threatened and demanded `15 crore from a Bhandup-based Slum Rehabilitation Authority developer for a project in Wadala. The police arrested Paradkar from his Tilak Nagar residence.

Paradkar is a close aide of underworld don Chhota Rajan, so, in this extortion case, Shetty and Chhota Rajan are also being held responsible, and they are wanted in the case. Joint CP of Mumbai police Deven Bharti confirmed the same, saying, “Paradkar has been arrested and Rajan and Shetty are wanted.” The police has booked him under Sections 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 387 (Putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion), and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC as well as Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act.

According to sources, the extortion calls were made on September 5, after which the developer approached the police. The police then started an inquiry and checked whether or not the calls were from Paradkar. After two months of research, the police filled an FIR against him on November 2, and arrested him the next morning. “Paradkar was handling all the Mumbai as well as Navi Mumbai operations of the Chhota Rajan gang, and heading the illegal Octroi mafia at Mulund, Thane and Navi Mumbai,” police sources said.

According to a top Mumbai police officer, Paradkar has a vast criminal history. On September 23, 2012 he was arrested for the shooting of Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Ghadge. Other cases where he has been involved are the firing at film financer Bharat Shah and threatening NCP leader Sanjay Dina Patil.