Mubarak Ansari

Viman Nagar, 21st April 2022: The sleuths from the anti-extortion cell 2 of Pune city police Crime Branch have busted a gang who used to extort money from business units, offices in Viman Nagar in the name of ‘Mathadi’ workers’ union.

An FIR was registered with the Yerwada police station after the gang demanded Rs 500 per tempo for unloading in the Weikfield building.

The arrested persons have been identified as Bablu Yusuf Khan alias Asif (32), Ifraz Feroze Sheikh (30) and Tushar Vishnu Adhwade (36), all residents of Yerawada.

According to the police, the complainant had gone to the Bajaj Finance office at Weikfield on April 15 afternoon to deliver boxes of tea and coffee. The accused stopped the vehicle at the gate. “You will have to pay Rs 500 for every trip even if you directly deliver the goods. Until you give us the money, we will not let you inside. We are from the Mathadi workers union,” they allegedly said.

After making him leave the spot, Asif Khan called him on April 18 and demanded Rs 3,000 per month. The complaint approached the Crime Branch.

A trap was laid around 2 pm on Wednesday at the Weikfield building gate and the two accused who came there to collect the money were caught red-handed.

Police have appealed to the public to contact the Crime Branch’s Anti-Extortion Cell if anyone demanded money in the name of ‘Mathadi’ without doing any work.

The action was taken under the guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ramnath Pokale, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Srinivas Ghadge and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime-2) Narayan Shirgaonkar.

The team included Police Inspector Balaji Pandhare, PSI Shrikant Chavan and police personnel Vijay Gurav, Pradip Shitole, Shailesh Surve, Vinod Salunke, Rahul Uttarkar, Sangram Shingare, Saidoba Bhojrao, Sachin Ahiwale, Amol Pilane, Pravin Padwal, Chetan Shirolkar, Pradip Gade, Pradip Chavan, Rupali Karnawar and Asha Kolekar.