Duo poses as journalists, tries extortion, arrested

The Kurar police of Malad area on Thursday arrested two men who allegedly posed as reporters of a Hindi newspaper and tried to extort a local imitation jewellery factory owner.

The accused have been identified as Manish Mohan Suvarn (20) and Satish Bhairavnath Chaurasiya (27). Both were claming to be reporters of Hindsar, a weekly newspaper. According to police sources both the accused had press identity cards, which showed their designation as ‘executive editor’.

On Thursday afternoon, the accused approached Satya Rajit Yadav, the complainant, in his factory and and said they were journalists belonging to a newspaper. When Mr Yadav asked the duo the reason behind their visit, they told him an organisation named Navjiwan Samaj Sewa Sangha had filed a complaint against Mr Yadav for running the business illegally and stetting up the workshop on government land. They also threatened Mr Yadav they would approach the police and ask for an inquiry on him. According to a police official from Kurar police station, the duo demanded Rs 25,000 from Mr Yadav to keep mum and not to entangle him in a police case.

When Mr Yadav realised he was being cheated, on the pretext of arranging money, he left the workshop and called the police help-line number and informed about the incident. Police officials rushed to the spot after and nabbed both the accused.