Three people, suspected to be from Vicky Malhotra gang, have been arrested in a joint operation by the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch (central unit) and the Anti-Extortion Cell for trying to extort money from a businessman in Kharghar.
The businessman, whose identity has not been disclosed by the police, had started getting extortion and threatening calls from local, national and international numbers from September 12. He filed a complaint with the central unit of the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch on September 23. Crime Branch officials along with anti-extortion officials set up a team. The callers had demanded Rs. 1 crore from the businessman, which was later negotiated by the complainant to Rs. 10,50,000.
“We laid a trap and they were called near Ulwa Jetty to receive the money. We caught two accused red-handed while accepting the money from the complainant,” Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said. The two were identified as Dyanesh Jambhle (39), a resident of Sangvi village in Pune and Firoz Raheem Shaikh (28), a resident of Shivaji Nagar in Pune. Jambhle used to work as an estate agent while Shaikh, a graduate, had worked as a junior Clerk with SSC Board, Pune, in 2011-12, said DCP (Crime) Dilip Sawant.
After interrogation of the duo, the police traced the third accused, who is allegedly close to Vicky Malhotra, a close aide of Chhota Rajan. The third accused, identified as Sanjay Baba Dengle, was nabbed in Chembur. All the three were presented before court and have been remanded in police custody till October 3. Dengle was involved in a dacoity case registered with the Bandra police in 2013, and was in jail till June 2016.
“Vicky Malhotra has various cases against him in Mumbai and this is the first case in Navi Mumbai wherein he is suspected to be involved,” said Mr. Sawant.
The writer is a freelance journalist
