Mumbai: An NCP office-bearer wanted in a
2002 extortion case, in which a builder was demanded Rs two crore by a group of seven people, associated with underworld
don Chhota Rajan, was on Tuesday arrested, said a senior police
official.
Vijay Wadkar, who was recently appointed as the
president of NCP`s south Mumbai, was arrested from Tardeo of
central Mumbai in the 2002 extortion case, police said.
According to police, a builder in south Mumbai had
been threatened by a man claiming to be Rajan`s aide. The man
demanded Rs two crore from the builder alleging that the
latter was involved in several scams and he had to shell out
the amount for protection.
After the victim expressed his inability to give Rs
two crore, the amount was reduced to Rs 15 lakh, police said
adding that the builder had sent Rs five lakh through his
worker as the first instalment to the gang after informing the
police about the threatening calls.
As a gang member had come to collect the money at
Dadar in central Mumbai, police laid a trap and arrested the
caller. Subsequently five of his gang members were arrested
and Wadkar was wanted in this case.
"An information was received that Wadkar is wanted in
the 2002 case. We worked out on the piece of information and
checked the records. Subsequently, the NCP man was arrested,"
said a senior police official said.
Wadkar was produced before a local court, which has
remanded him in police custody till April 7, police said.
PTI
