They were arrested after the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police set a trap at a restaurant on Mira Road on the complaint of 34-year-old builder Akash Pawan Gupta
Swapnil Bandekar, former corporator from Nalasopara. Pic/Hanif Patel
Former Shiv Sena (UBT) Corporator from Nalasopara Swapnil Bandekar and his three associates including a Right To Information (RTI) activist were arrested on Saturday night by Navghar police for allegedly extorting an SRA builder in Worli, Mumbai.
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They were arrested after the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police set a trap at a restaurant on Mira Road on the complaint of 34-year-old builder Akash Pawan Gupta.
The zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prakash Gaikwad confirmed the development and said, “Bandekar and his gang members had been blackmailing a builder, whose project is underway in Worli. They have been arrested on the builder's complaint.”
“The prime accused Bandekar and his gang members including Himanshu Rajendra Shaha, Kishore and Nikhil had been filing multiple RTI applications in various departments related to my ongoing SRA projects in Worli. They reside in Vasai taluka but they had been filing RTI applications only to extort money by stonewalling our ongoing projects,” Gupta, the complainant told mid-day.
“When I confronted the gang, they started to blackmail me and demanded Rs. 10 crore. After multiple rounds of discussions, the deal was finalised in Rs. 1.25 crore and they decided to accept money at a restaurant in the Navghar area of Mira Road,” said Gupta, the complainant told mid-day.
“On Saturday, Himanshu arrived in Navghar to accept token money of Rs 15 lakh and was caught red-handed by Navghar police, who I had already informed in advance. After accepting the money, Himanshu informed Bandekar and his other associates to give a green signal to them for further rounds of meetings,” he added.
“Though Himanshu asked his gang members to visit Navghar since it was a festival (Maghi Ganesh Jayanti), Bandekar preferred meeting in the Achole area of Nalasopara East,” recalled Gupta.
After they reached Nalasopara late on Saturday night, the remaining three accused were arrested by Navghar police.
All the court accused will be produced before the local court to seek their police custody.
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