Pune: Khadki police have registered a case against two men, including a self-proclaimed Right to Information (RTI) activist, for allegedly extorting money from supervisors working with contractors engaged in sanitation and garbage collection.
The suspects have been identified as Bablu alias Prabhakar Polkam, a resident of Dighi who allegedly works as an RTI activist, and Hemant Yadav, a resident of Pimple Gurav.
According to the complaint, the duo allegedly assaulted a supervisor, threatened to file complaints against him through women workers and demanded ₹1.5 lakh to settle the matter, besides seeking monthly payments.
The complainant, identified in the copy as Sarode, is a supervisor with Best Security and Avadh Enterprises and oversees around 130 workers engaged in sanitation work for the Khadki Cantonment Board.
Sarode alleged that Polkam had been pressuring him to recruit his relatives and others into the company. When he refused, Polkam allegedly threatened to file complaints against him with the Khadki Cantonment Board and instigated workers against him. Sarode further claimed that, fearing Polkam, he transferred money to him online on Dec 25, 2025, following an earlier demand.
According to the complaint, on Sept 20, 2026, Sarode was called to an office in Khadki, where Polkam and Yadav allegedly shut the door, abused him and assaulted him. They allegedly told him that five women workers had complained against him to the Labour Commissioner.
Sarode further alleged that the duo called a woman, identified as Shabana Rangrez, and her husband to the office and pressured her to allege that he had collected money from women workers. A video containing the allegations was allegedly recorded on Polkam's mobile phone. When Sarode attempted to call the police helpline 112, the suspects allegedly tried to snatch his phone.
The following day, Sarode was allegedly called to the bus stop near the Valmiki community temple in Khadki, where Polkam demanded ₹1.5 lakh to settle the matter and prevent further complaints. Polkam allegedly sought ₹10,000 per month for himself and ₹5,000 per month for Yadav.
Sarode also alleged that on Oct 6, Yadav called him and two other supervisors, Audumbar Ghode of Rekha Enterprises and Amit Devkar, who oversees garbage collection vehicles, to MM Restaurant on Aundh Road. There, Yadav allegedly demanded ₹15,000 per month from each of them and said they would have to manage Polkam as well. Sarode claimed to possess an audio recording of the alleged demand.
Police registered the case under Sections 308(2), 126(2), 118(1), 351, 352 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Senior Police Inspector Vikram Kadam of Khadki Police Station told The Free Press Journal that the two suspects were habitual offenders and that more than six extortion cases had previously been registered against them at various police stations across the city.
Kadam said both suspects were in police custody and that further action would be taken as the investigation pr
