Meghnagar (Madhya Pradesh): Meghnagar police have detained three persons who impersonated themselves as government officials and extorted money from a school teacher and in-charge superintendent of Rambhapur Boys Hostel in Meghnagar tehsil of Jhabua district.
According to the complainant, Francis Mall, a school teacher posted at the Government School in Rambhapur, the accused quartet, including a woman, introduced themselves as government investigation team members meant to check irregularities prevailing at government hostels in the tribal dominated district.
The accused demanded Rs 20k in lieu of not submitting the report of irregularities to the higher officials. The accused asked the school teacher to transfer Rs 5k online and Rs 10k cash to Dinesh Chouhan and his associates.
One still absconding
The police informed that three of the gang members including - Rahul Verma (32), Hemant Rathore (50), Dinesh Chauhan (40), all residents of Indore have been arrested and were booked under Section 419, 420 and 384 of the IPC for extortion from government employees. One Rani Chauhan, a resident of Vijay Nagar, Indore is still absconding.
Sharing how it was all revealed, the police informed that for the last few days in the district, some mischievous people were carrying out investigations and inspections in hostels of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan including Tribal Department in the rural areas in the name of deputy commissioner's office, Bhopal.
Some of them even extorted money from hostel superintendents in the name of irregularities and lack of complete documents pertaining to their hostel.
Some superintendents even paid them money, but due to some aware superintendents, the extortion gang is now behind bars.
Complainant sensed discrepancy
Complainant Francis Mall informed that on February 22, he received a call and the caller introduced himself as an officer related to the deputy commissioner's office, Bhopal. He told him about the shortcomings of the hostel.
In the name of not giving the report of deficiencies to the higher officials, he demanded Rs 20k from the complainant.
When Francis Mall shared the information with his senior officials in Meghnagar Boys Hostel superintendent Relu Singh Dodiyar to confirm any kind of investigation, the officials called senior officials in Bhopal and it was found that no team had come from Bhopal. Nor is there any order for departmental inquiry or inspection.
Following this, Francis Mall lodged a complaint and based on that, the police arrested the three accused.
