Mumbai: Fake BMC officer held for demanding bribe for renovation work

Mumbai: A 24-year-old man posed as a BMC official and approached a resident at Lokhandwala on Nov 11 to demand a bribe of Rs10,000 over alleged illegal renovation work. The suspect, Akshay Gothre, a resident of Khar West was arrested on Sunday (Nov 20) by the Oshiwara police.

The police said when the elderly owner, Manju Jain, 63, refused to pay the bribe, the suspect tried to snatch her gold chain. They said he posed as a BMC officer from the maintenance department of K-Ward and told Mrs Jain that the civic body had received a report on illegal renovation, which will have repercussions. To avoid illegal notices, he demanded a bribe.

When the owner refused, he got enraged and tried to snatch her chain. However, the house help put up a fight, forcing the suspect to flee.

Mrs Jain registered a complaint at the Oshiwara police station, following which the police began a manhunt for the suspect on the basis of CCTV footage from the area. A few days later, the police received a tip-off that the man was coming to Khar railway station, where a trap was laid and he was arrested on Sunday.

A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered for robbery and fraud.