Mumbai: Three booked for trying to extort from hospital owner

Police said the trio had threatened the hospital owner that if she does not pay them Rs 20 lakh, they would vigorously pursue the complaints they had filed against the hospital with various government bodies (Representational Image)

The Powai police have registered a case against three persons, including one who claimed to be a Right To Information (RTI) activist, for allegedly attempting to extort money from the owner of a Powai-based hospital. Police said the trio had threatened the hospital owner that if she does not pay them Rs 20 lakh, they would vigorously pursue the complaints they had filed against the hospital with various government bodies and she would have to pay hefty fines. The woman had recorded the phone conversation and approached the Powai police where an FIR was registered earlier this week. No arrests have been made in the case so far.

The 52-year-old complainant had approached the Powai police last month, alleging that three people had been trying to extort money from her, police said. The woman has alleged that one Dinesh Hojge, who identifies himself as an RTI activist, along with two of his aides, had approached her in April. The accused had threatened her, claiming that they were aware of the several violations her hospital commits in its day-to-day functioning, an officer said.

“In a meeting at a hotel in Thane in April, they threatened her that if she did not pay them Rs 45 lakh, they would pursue the complaints they had already filed against her hospital with several government departments,” said an officer said. The complainant had agreed to pay up a reduced sum of Rs 20 lakh.

Meanwhile, the complainant also approached the Powai police last month. To gather evidence against the accused, the had woman called them for a meeting at a Mulund hotel on June 30 to “negotiate the matter” where she had planned to record the entire meeting with a hidden camera in her keychain. “The plan, however, did not work as one of the accused found out about the hidden camera and threatened her further for trying to gather evidence against them,” the officer said.

The woman, however, had been recording their telephone conversations she had had with the accused, identified as Hojge, Sagar Chalse and one Bhoir. The Powai police have registered a case under sections 385 (Putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extor­tion) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. A officer said, “No arrests have been made in the case. Investigations are on.”