A police inspector, who was already kept in vacancy reserve following allegations of extortion, was booked for threatening a senior citizen at knifepoint and collecting Rs 10 lakh from him. The action came after the victim, a 72-year-old, filed a complaint against the officer and a couple at the City Police Commissionerate on Monday.

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Chennai:

D Muthaiah, a small-time realtor of Irumbuliyur at East Tambaram, had accused the inspector Thomson; Pandian, a VCK functionary; and his wife and TV actress Sajini of barging into his house on September 30 and threatening him at knifepoint to part with Rs 10 lakh. Fearing for his life, he gave them a cheque for Rs 10 lakh, Muthaiah said in the petition seeking action against the trio.

Based on the instructions from senior officers, the Peerkankaranai police on Tuesday registered a case against the three persons. In his complaint, Muthaiah has also stated that the inspector and the couple were accompanied by a gang of men from Vyasarpadi and Anna Nagar. They came looking for his son, a civil engineer, threatening to murder him if Muthaiah failed to give them money. 

According to sources, Thomson was placed in vacancy reserve on similar charges. The police said that he has been booked under five sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 448 (trespassing), 294 (uttering obscene words), 392 (robbery), 397 (dacoity) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation). Further action would be taken after an investigation. 

Department sources added that Thomson claimed that he had lent money to Muthaiah’s family. 

Now, he wanted it back so as to repay the loan he took from Pandian and Sajini, he maintained, while Muthaiah’s family denied having taken any loan from inspector Thomson.