Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Gets Rs 10 Crore Extortion Threat, Security Tightened

According to the Nagpur police, a man, who identified himself as Jayesh Pujari, made at least three calls threatening to harm the Union Minister and demanded Rs 10 crore.

Nagpur: The Nagpur police have tightened the security at Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's home and is office after several threatening calls were made to the senior BJP leader’s office on Tuesday. According to police, a man made at least three calls threatening to harm the Union Minister if Rs 10 crore was not paid to him. The caller identified himself as one Jayesh Pujari, alias Jayesh Kantha, the same person whose name had been used to make similar calls to the Minister's office in January, the police said.

Sharing more details, Rahul Madane, Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone II), said three calls, two in the morning and one around 12 noon, were made to Gadkari's public relations office, opposite Orange City Hospital in Nagpur.

The caller demanded Rs 10 crore and threatened to harm the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister if the money was not paid, the police said. After being alerted by Gadkari's staff, the Nagpur police have started an investigation, he said. Security has been beefed up at the minister's home and office, said the DCP.

Earlier on January 14, a man identifying himself as Pujari had made threatening calls to Gadkari's public relations office, demanding Rs 100 crore. The caller claimed that he was a member of the fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim gang.

Pujari, who is lodged in Hindalga jail in Karnataka's Belagavi after being sentenced to death in a murder case, had denied his involvement in the threat calls made to the Union Minister.