Pune: Drunk man calls cops with 'info' on threat to CM Eknath Shinde

Pune: A non-cognisable offence was registered against a man for calling up the police control room and claiming that a "plot" to kill Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was being hatched at a hotel in Lonavala in Pune district.

The investigation revealed that the man, Avinash Waghmare, was drunk and made the call to "teach a lesson" to the owner of the hotel for allegedly overcharging him for a bottle of water, a police officer said on Sunday.

The State Intelligence Department had on Saturday evening received a specific input about the threat to the life of Shinde, Intelligence Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre had said earlier in the day.

"After specific information, we have taken necessary action and increased the security of the Chief Minister," Dumbre had said.

A police officer in Mumbai on Sunday night hinted the threat input could be linked to the case registered in Pune.

Waghmare, who was travelling from Ghatkopar to Sangli in a private bus, allegedly made the call on Saturday to the control room claiming a plan was being hatched in the Lonavala hotel to kill the Chief Minister, the official said.

He later admitted being drunk when he made the call to get the police on the trail of the hotelier with whom he had quarrelled for being overcharged for a bottle of water.

"Following the call, our team reached the hotel and found that the caller was travelling in a bus. Our team tried to call the person back to get details but he was not answering.

"Later, the location of the phone was traced and the man was made to alight," said Pune (Rural) Superintendent of Police Abhinav Deshmukh.

"We have filed a non-cognizable case against Waghmare under Indian Penal Code section 177 (knowingly furnishing false information to a public servant)," Deshmukh added.