Pune Man Arrested For ₹4.25 Lakh Extortion As Fake RAW Officer

A man posing as an officer of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was arrested by the Pune Crime Branch for allegedly demanding ₹4.25 lakh from a grain trader in Gujarat.

The accused has been identified as Paresh Pravin Kothari, who was arrested by the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Pune Crime Branch following a trap operation.

A case has been registered against him at Parvati Police Station. According to police, the complainant, a grain trader from Rajkot, Gujarat, found that his Bank of Baroda account had been frozen after online transactions worth ₹4,000 were credited to it on March 9.

During his inquiry, he learned that the amount had been transferred from bank accounts in Pune's Dhankawadi area. When the trader contacted the person linked to the transactions, the accused allegedly introduced himself as a RAW officer and initially demanded ₹5 lakh to restore the bank account.

He later reduced the demand to ₹4.25 lakh and allegedly threatened the trader with serious consequences if the money was not paid. Police said that during a meeting at a café on Satara Road in June, the accused allegedly displayed a 'Police Mitra' identity card and identified himself as Paresh Kothari.

The trader subsequently lodged a written complaint with the Pune Crime Branch on July 13. As the threats allegedly continued even after the complaint, the Anti-Extortion Cell laid a trap near Panchami Chowk.

Kothari was caught red-handed on Friday evening while allegedly arriving to collect the extortion money. The police are verifying whether he has committed any other similar offences and further investigation is underway.

The incident highlights the need for individuals to be cautious when dealing with strangers who claim to be government officials. It also showcases the efforts of the Pune Crime Branch in tackling extortion cases and bringing perpetrators to justice.

The arrest of the accused is a significant development in the case and is expected to provide relief to the victim. The police are likely to investigate similar cases in the area to determine if the accused was involved in other extortion attempts.

In recent times, there have been several cases of individuals posing as government officials to extort money from unsuspecting victims. This case serves as a reminder for people to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

The Pune Crime Branch has urged citizens to be cautious when dealing with strangers who claim to be government officials and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities immediately.

The incident has also raised concerns about the security of bank accounts and the need for individuals to monitor their accounts regularly to prevent such incidents.

The police are working to prevent such incidents in the future and are taking measures to increase awareness among citizens about the dangers of extortion and the importance of reporting suspicious activity.