The Bhoiwada police have nabbed two lawyers and a woman for allegedly attempting to extort money from a minor boy, threatening to take him to the police station after he was found in the company of a minor girl in a park. The trio demanded Rs 30,000 from the brother of the boy and threatened to ruin his life if the amount was not paid. While the brother paid Rs 1,500 to them, police officers in a van on patrol noticed the group arguing with the minor and his brother and immediately took them to the police station.
The incident occurred around 6 pm on Monday. The 20-year-old received a call from his brother’s mobile phone from a man who identified himself as advocate Akash Adhav. “He called and said that he was practising at Bhoiwada court and found my 17-year-old brother with a 15-year-old girl at Aryabhatta Garden. He threatened me saying a police van was coming to the spot and asked what action should be taken,” the Parel resident said to the police.
The minor’s brother rushed to the garden with his mother and saw him and the girl cornered by three people, including two women. He identified himself and inquired what had happened. “Adhav gave me his visiting card and told me they are advocates. He said they would ensure that my brother was put behind bars as he was found with a minor girl. I pleaded not to take the matter further but he then started to manhandle my brother,” he said.
According to the brother, the trio then demanded R30,000 to end the matter. When the family pleaded that they didn’t have that much money, the amount was scaled down to Rs 16,000. “I then paid Rs 1,500 through an online transaction and they warned us not to speak about the incident with anyone, demanding that I pay the remaining amount the next day,” he added. Meanwhile, a patrol van of Bhoiwada police approached the garden and made inquiries after they saw the group arguing. The family narrated the entire incident to the cops who immediately rounded up the trio and took them to the police station. At the police station, the man identified himself as Akash Adhav, 26, while the two women were identified as Sakshi Adhav, 23, and Shivai Wairka, 21. Akash and Sakshi are residents of Sewree.
“As per the complaint by the 20-year-old, we have booked the three under IPC Sections 384 (extortion), 504 (intentional insult with internet to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention). Two of them are advocates,” said Subhash Borate, senior inspector, Bhoiwada police station. “During preliminary investigations, we found they have been doing this regularly and had extorted money from other people,” he added. h Adhav has been arrested by the police.
Rs 30,000 Amount initially demanded by trio