Realty broker moves HC, seeks probe against Thane police officers in extortion case

A real estate broker from Thane has approached the Bombay high court to initiate inquiry against Thane Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) in-charge, Pradeep Sharma, and officer Rajkumar Kothmire, weeks after he was arrested in an extortion case.

Naveen Thakkar, in his petition, has alleged the AEC officers ordered him to pay ₹1.5 crore to cricket bookies. The Vartak Nagar police registered a case against Thakkar on July 24 and arrested him the following night on the charges of allegedly extorting two shops at gunpoint in 2015 and 2016.

He had also demanded ₹50 lakh from the owner. However, Thakkar claims he had purchased the disputed properties.“The case was registered three years after the alleged extortion case. In fact, the AEC officers were acting as recovery agents for the cricket bookies (Praveen and Nikunj Thakkar) to extort ₹1.5 crore from Thakkar. When he refused to comply, they filed a case against him,” said advocate Vinod Gangwal, representing Thakkar in HC. The bookies were trying to recover money from Thakkar, while he claimed to have not placed any bets.

Later, in 2017, Thakkar was summoned in connection with a case registered against Nikunj. An inquiry was initiated against Sharma and Kothmire in March, but Thakkar alleged that it was carried out by an officer subordinate to Sharma deeming it “unfair.”

HT contacted Sharma, who refused to comment and threatened to file a defamation case if the story was reported. Kothmire and P Giridhar, senior inspector at Vartak Nagar police station were also unavailable for a comment.

First Published: Aug 14, 2018 05:34 IST