BSP corporator’s husband held for supplying firearms

Mumbai: The Thane police’s Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) has arrested Nitin Pagare, husband of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) corporator from Kalyan, for allegedly supplying firearms to two persons who were arrested by the police in a case of arms act.

The police apprehended one person from near Upvan Lake in possession of two pistols and a revolver along with 18 live rounds. When the person was questioned, he revealed about Pagare, who had allegedly supplied the weapons to him.

Later, the AEC officials received a tip off that one person would come near the lake to meet and hand over firearms to another person. The man was identified as Rakesh Salunke (30), a resident of Ambarnath. The officials said that the residences of the accused persons were searched and they found fake rubber stamps and letterheads of Central Railway.

“The accused were questioned and they revealed that the fake stamps and letter heads were being used to cheat applicants by promising them jobs. The duo would use the firearms to threaten those applicants who would get back at the accused,” said an AEC officer.

The accused would dole out fake call letters to the applicants many of which have been seized by the AEC officials. The duo has revealed that they had cheated at least 50 persons and charged each of them rs 2 lakh promising them jobs in railways.

The investigators are now in the process of tracking down each of the cheated applicants whose statement would be recorded.