Police have registered a case against five members of a poll flying squad, including two constables, for allegedly extorting ₹85,000 from a flower merchant after threatening him in Maharashtra’s Thane district, an official said on Sunday (November 10, 2024).
The incident took place on October 18 at Mharal Naka here.
The accused violated the model code of conduct, in place for the November 20 state assembly polls, stated the FIR.
The flower businessman and his friend were on their way to Ahmednagar and Pune in a car and carrying ₹7.5 lakh for making payments to farmers for purchases made during the Dussehra festival, the official from Ulhasnagar police station said.
The accused intercepted the car when it was proceeding towards Murbad and threatened the duo that their money will be seized, and a case will be registered against them.
They allegedly extorted ₹85,000 from the flower merchant, the official said.
The accused did not inform their seniors about the money found with the flower businessman, and also did not follow the set procedure for the raid and seizure, he said.
After the probe and a complaint by a poll official, the Ulhasnagar police on Saturday (November 9, 2024) registered a case against the five accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 308(2) (extortion), 198 (public servant disobeying the law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 134 (assault or criminal force in an attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) and 3(5) (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all), he said.
Published – November 10, 2024 12:50 pm IST
