The Bhayandar police have arrested four people, including a self-proclaimed editor of a local newspaper and a woman, who were allegedly trying to extort money from a trader in Bhayandar on Wednesday night.
According to the police, the gang led by the prime accused, identified as Dhiraj Dubey (38) entered into a plastic bag trader's shop located at 60 Feet Road in the Bhayandar (West) on Wednesday. Claiming to be the co-editors of a local newspaper, Dubey and his accomplices have been identified as Kavita Yadav, Ashok Mishra, and Kesar Bhansingh. They targeted the trader for selling banned plastic.
When the trader confronted them by saying that he was selling only packaging material manufactured out of sugarcane pulp that had been duly stamped as legal by the government, the gang threatened to register bogus cases, which could land him in trouble.
When the trader refused to give in to their demands, the woman dialled the helpline number and summoned the police. The matter reached the police station. In the meantime, Dubey started demanding Rs. 25,000 from the trader to hush up the matter. The trader informed the police about the demands.
Sensing the seriousness of the matter, the on-duty police personnel asked the trader to keep bargaining with the gang so that the police could gather more evidence and nab the accused red-handed. Meanwhile, Dubey got ready to settle the matter for Rs. 4,500.
The police laid a trap and sent the trader away with Rs. 4,500 in marked notes. All of them were arrested after they came to collect the money near a temple at around 9:20 pm.
An offence under section 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt) of the IPC has been registered against the accused, who have been remanded to custody. The police also seized a press identification card from the possession of the accused. Investigations were underway to ascertain the involvement of the gang in similar crimes of extortion and blackmailing of traders in the Twin-Cities.
