Rajkot: Of the four people accused of allegedly blackmailing a farmer for Rs 10 lakh in Rajkot, a husban-wife duo was detained on Thursday.
Police said the accused, Meera Gujarati and her husband Ranjeet, both residents of Narsinh Ramani ni Vadi on Kothariya Road, had allegedly blackmailed Magan Rak (55), a farmer of Semada village of Gondal taluka with the connivance of two aides, Ranjeet Chavda and Hasmukh.
According to the details of the case, Rak, who wanted to buy a buffalo, was advised by his friend to contact Ranjeet Gujarati who promised to get him a buffalo. After this, Meera started calling Rak frequently on his mobile.
“On December 7, Meera called Rak to Narsinh Ramani ni Vadi and took him to a dilapidated house where Ranjeet and the two others reached. The accused allegedly tied Rak to a pole and thrashed him with a plastic pipe and threatened to frame Rak in a false rape case if he didn’t bow to their demanded for Rs 10 lakh and walk out of the situation,” said V J Chavda, inspector with Aji Dam police station.
In order to free himself from the clutches of the accused, Rak agreed to pay the amount. The accused allegedly then took his thumb imprint on a stamp paper, which stated that he was bound to pay Rs 10 lakh to Meera.
After he was released, Rak returned home and decided to lodge a complaint against the accused.
“We have booked the accused under sections 387, 120 (B), 342, 330, 323, 504, 114 and 135 of the Indian Penal Code. The accused had also shot a video of Rak and had clicked his photographs,” added Chavda.
While the police have detained Meera and Ranjeet Gujarati, they have launched a manhunt for the co-accused.