Three Arrested for Impersonating BMC Officials and Extorting Commuter in Bandra East
The Kherwadi police have arrested three residents of Powai for allegedly posing as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials and extorting Rs 19,500 from a businessman near the Vakola bridge in Bandra East.
The accused have been identified as Amit Kulaye, 34, Sudheer Pujari, 32, and Vinod Sadar, 36. They were arrested on Wednesday following an operation assisted by the Powai police detection team, led by Assistant Inspector Pranod Mane.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 10:45 am on May 25. The complainant, Jubin Shah, a 37-year-old businessman from Ghatkopar East, was travelling home in an auto-rickshaw. When the vehicle reached Hans Bhugra Junction on the Western Express Highway in Bandra East, two men riding motorcycles intercepted the auto-rickshaw.
The two men claimed to be BMC officials and accused Shah of smoking inside the auto-rickshaw, alleging that he had violated municipal civic regulations and was required to pay a fine. When Shah requested to see their official identity cards, the men warned him against questioning them and pointed to a third accomplice who arrived on another motorcycle.
The trio claimed the third individual was their senior officer and demanded Rs 19,500 from Shah as a penalty. They also asked him to accompany them to a police station before eventually taking the money and leaving the location.
Following the extortion, Shah approached the Kherwadi police, who registered a First Information Report (FIR) on August 28. Investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the junction and used technical surveillance to trace the suspects to Powai.
Police recovered Rs 10,850 from the accused, noting that a portion of the extorted cash had already been spent. Investigators also seized two motorcycles allegedly used in the commission of the crime.
The three men were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody for two days. Police are continuing their investigation to establish whether the trio had targeted other commuters using similar tactics.
