Advocate arrested by Anti-extortion cell for accepting ransom

Thane, Jul 8: A practicing advocate was arrested by officials of Thane Anti Extortion Cell here for demanding and accepting a ransom from a resident of Vitthalwadi, police said today (Jul 8).

According to Senior Police Inspector D B Patil, the advocate Ulhas More alias Bunty was trapped by team members while accepting a ransom of Rs 2 lakh from the complainant here.

He said More approached Gourav Pagare, whose brother had been arrested by the Vitthalwadi police in connection with an offence and presently lodged in the jail. The Kalyan court is presently hearing his bail application.

The advocate approached Pagares and made a demand of Rs. 10 lakh for getting bail for his brother and closing the entire case once for all.

There after it was agreed that the entire issue would be settled by paying a sum of Rs. 3.5 lakhs. And if this amount is not paid the advocate threatened the Pagares of dire consequences and said that he would rope in the entire family in false cases.

He asked Pagare to get Rs 2 lakh to the office of another advocate Bawiskar near the water tank in the Subash Tekdi area and hand it over to him.

The threatening calls were recorded by Pagare which he produced before the Vitthalwadi police station where a case was registered on July 6. Officials Anti Extortion cell who were in waiting at the specified spot next day at about 6.30 pm and trapped More accepting the ransom money of Rs 2 lakh, the police said.

The officials of the Thane unit of the Anti Extortion Cell are carrying out further investigations the police said.

PTI