Politician booked for blackmailing corporator over ‘illegal’ construction business in Vasai
While the politician was booked for extortion, the corporator has already been arrested for carrying out illegal construction and land grabbing (Representational Image)
A Vasai-based politician has been booked for blackmailing and extorting money from a corporator, who incidentally has been arrested in connection with an illegal construction case.
The complaint was filed by Arun Jadhav, who runs a construction business apart from being a corporator in the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC). He has accused a local politician, Kumar Harishchandra Kakade, of blackmail and extortion.
In his complaint, the Jadhav said Kakade has blackmailed him from time to time by filing applications under the RTI with the VVMC, seeking information about construction activities in Vasai.
The complainant further alleged that since 2016, Kakade has been threatening him by saying that he would create hurdles in his realty business and lodge complaints in courts for alleged illegal construction activities.
The Vasai-based politician had earlier collected Rs 30 lakh from Jadhav on two occasions in 2016. However, kept demanding an additional Rs 50 lakh from the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) corporator to avoid harassment.
Following the complaint, police booked Kakade under IPC sections 384 (punishment for extortion) and 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), said Palghar district rural police PRO Hemant Katkar.
However, the politician is still at large.
Jadhav, meanwhile, was arrested by the Vasai police a couple of days ago on charges of carrying out illegal construction and land grabbing in Vasai town of Palghar district.
