Maha: Govt employee arrested for extortion

Mumbai — A 47-year-old Central government employee was arrested for allegedly trying to extort Rs 7 lakh from a liquor shop owner, police said on Thursday.

The Marine Drive police on Tuesday arrested Rajendra Waghmare for allegedly trying to extort Rs 7 lakh per month from Ashok Patel who owns a liquor shop in south Mumbai, an official said.

Waghmare was employed as a labourer with the Ministry of Defence and worked at Mazgaon Dock, senior inspector Mrityunjay Hiremath of Marine Drive police station said.

The accused visited the liquor shop and allegedly told Patel that the shop's license was not proper and he will have to shell out Rs 7 lakh per month to keep the establishment running, the official said.

Patel then lodged a complaint with the police and later trapped the accused when he visited the shop on Tuesday, he added.

After his arrest, the accused disclosed the names of three of his associates Sanjay Ahire, Janardan Gyanit and Manish Tambe, the official said.

Waghmare has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and further probe is underway, he added.