Mumbai: Zila Parishad member arrested for demanding Rs 6 crore from leading builder

According to the police officials, the incident came to light after the complainant Arjun Ghayatadke approached Powai police station on Wednesday. (Representational photo)

Mumbai police have arrested a Zilla Parishad member for allegedly trying to extort money from a leading builder in the city.
The police said that the alleged accused is based in Junnar district in Pune, and he allegedly demanded Rs 20 crore after he filed application against the group alleging illegal construction on their part.

According to the police officials, the incident came to light after the complainant Arjun Ghayatadke approached Powai police station on Wednesday. Following which a special team was formed and the accused Gulab Vittal Parkhe along with his driver Vittal Falke were allegedly nabbed red-handed from Shubham Hotel in Mulund, while receiving Rs 1 cr cash on Wednesday.

Senior police inspector Anil Pophale from Powai police station said, “The accused initially filed a complaint with the BMC S ward in which he alleged that there is illegal construction work taking place at Powai’s site of the company. The group officials were shocked at the specification, following which they contacted the accused. Later they learnt that the accused was earlier employed with the group for more then six years, due to which he possess information.”

In November 2017, after the group officials approached Parkhe, he started demanding Rs 20 crore from them. The two parties then negotiated to Rs 6 crore in the same month, following which the group was suppose to pay him in instalments.

“Later as the groups projects started getting delayed they assumed that it was happening because of Parkhe as he was affiliated with a political party and a Zilla Parishad member, due to which they agreed to pay him in cash. They contacted him and asked him to drop the matter but he alleged that he would not let them get away with any of the group’s project,” said Pophale.

Worried about the consequences, the group officials even paid Rs 10 lakhs to the accused on January 10. Later as the accused started pressuring them, the complainant approached the police station on Wednesday afternoon, following which they laid a trap and nabbed him from Mulund.

The accused has been booked under sections 384 (extortion) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. The duo is expected to be produced in Andheri court by Thursday afternoon.