The police said the FIR in this case was registered in February, when a person filed a complaint of extortion at DB Marg police station. (Representational)

A 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly posing as a police informer and extorting money from restaurant and bar owners. According to police, the accused, Ashraf Ali Ateek Shaikh, would threaten the owners that he would inform police about illegal activities at their establishments. Two accused in the case, Tejkumar Abhiraj Mourya alias Rajesh Kelawala and Akbar Khan, were arrested earlier.

The police said the FIR in this case was registered in February, when a person filed a complaint of extortion at DB Marg police station. The complainant had said that Mourya, Khan and Shaikh had come to his establishment and demanded money.

On Friday, the police received information on Shaikh’s whereabouts after which he was nabbed. “Shaikh was in hiding since the FIR was registered. We received information that he will return home, so accordingly we laid a trap around his Chembur apartment and caught him,” said an officer. He has been booked under relevant sections of extortion.

“The accused told the complainant that they are personally acquainted with top IPS officers. The accused threatened the complainant that they would inform on him and raids would be carried out at his establishment. The complainant got scared and paid the accused for six months. But as they demanded more money, he approached us,” said a police officer. After the case was registered, Mourya was arrested in February while Khan was arrested early last month.