The accused allegedly went on to assault the man with bamboo sticks and forced him to pay Rs 10,000. (Representational Image)

Five persons were arrested in Virar on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a man and extorting Rs 50,000 from him.

The police said the incident took place when the man met a friend, a woman, at Virar West on February 18. When he arrived for the meeting, he found the woman being accompanied by her boyfriend. The couple then allegedly drove the man to an isolated spot and accused him of harassing the woman. “Three other men also arrived at the spot… They threatened to file a complaint if he did not stop sending text messages to the woman. They demanded Rs 50,000 to let him go,” senior Inspector Suresh Varade of Virar police said.

The accused allegedly went on to assault the man with bamboo sticks and forced him to pay Rs 10,000. They also demanded that he pay the rest by the end of the day, failing which they would approach the police. The same evening the man filed a complaint with the Virar police. “Four men and the woman was arrested and booked on charges of extortion and assault,” said Varade.