Pune: Man arrested for `extorting' money from doctor

Pune Police on Thursday arrested a 48-year-old man for allegedly extorting Rs 75 lakh from a city-based doctor. Manoj Adsul, the accused, was arrested in Mumbai by a team of city police.

He is accused of blackmailing a medical practitioner, Deepak Rasne.

A woman patient had alleged earlier that Dr Sahil Rasne, Deepak Rasne's son, had molested her in his clinic.

"When Manoj Adsul got to know about the alleged molestation, he approached Deepak Rasne and told him the woman belongs to an SC community and Sahil can be booked under the Atrocities Act and would be unable to obtain bail," a police officer said.

Adsul then allegedly demanded Rs 1.30 crore from Deepak Rasne to "settle" the case, he said.

Of the amount, Adsul took Rs 75 lakh from Rasne -- Rs 54 lakh through cheques and Rs 21 lakh in cash, said the officer.

As Adsul kept demanding the remaining money, Deepak Rasne approached the police and lodged a case under IPC sections 420 (cheating) and 384 (extortion), the officer said.

Adsul had approached a court and sought anticipatory bail, however, it was rejected. After his arrest, he was produced before a court and remanded in police custody for seven days.