Sleuths of the Navghar police have apprehended seven men including a police constable and a self-proclaimed journalist on charges of kidnapping and extorting money from a local drug peddler.

According to the police, the matter was reported from Bhayandar on August 14 when four men kidnapped the complainant Sameer Pandurang Sakpal from the B.P Road area in Bhayandar (east). Sakpal was bundled into a Volkswagen car by the accused who drove off to Hotel Fountain on the highway in Kashimira.

Claiming to be a police personnel attached to the local crime branch unit, the gang placed a pistol on Sakpal’s temple and demanded Rs. 12 lakh from him by issuing threats of killing him in an encounter. The accused gang members also used the name of a local police personnel who was totally ignorant about the entire episode. Sakpal agreed to cough up a part of the money and contacted his acquaintance for help. However, accosted by the Navghar cop, when they reached the spot the accused panicked and fled, before setting Sakpal free at an isolated place.

"The accused had used a fake number plate on the car. However, our teams immediately swung into action, scanned CCTV footage, activated the informer network and technical surveillance apparatus. Investigations revealed involvement of nine people out of which seven including the kingpin who is police personnel attached to the Navi Mumbai police and a person claiming to be a journalist have been arrested," said DCP (Zone I) Amit Kale.

Apart from a police cap, handcuffs, red shoes and khaki pants, they also seized the car with a police board which was used in the crime. A case under sections 364, 386, 397, 170 and 120 (b) of the IPC and under the relevant sections of the Arms Act has been registered against the accused who have been remanded to custody. Further investigations were underway.