Couple arrested for blackmail, extortion

A couple has been arrested for allegedly blackmailing a bank employee and extorting Rs 40 lakh from him, police said here today.
Following the complaint filed by the victim, an auditor with a nationalised bank, anti-extortion cell of police arrested the couple yesterday, said a senior police officer.
Last February, an unknown woman accosted the complainant in Marine Lines area, saying she needed to contact her husband immediately. The complainant gave his cell phone, and after making the call the woman chatted with him for some time.
Two days later, she called him and met him at an eatery in Andheri saying she needed help with opening a bank account.

Few days later, the woman and her husband, Javed, caught up with the complainant at Malad station. Javed allegedly assaulted the complainant for befriending his wife.
He also demanded Rs 50,000, which the complainant paid.

Some days later Javed told the complainant that he had impregnated his wife, and demanded Rs 3 lakh for abortion.
Javed later extorted another 1 lakh from him. The following month, Javed told the complainant that his wife had filed a rape complaint against him, and the police were looking for him.
Javed offered to help the complainant hide with the help of his friend Arifbhai, and demanded Rs 80 lakh for the same.

Later, Javed extorted more money, saying that Arifbhai had been murdered and he (complainant) was a suspect.
Finally the complainant approached the police, who caught Javed and his wife yesterday while accepting Rs 3 lakh from him. The couple are residents of neighbouring Vasai town.
Police also seized a Mercedes and a Honda City cars, a Rolex watch, nine gold chains, two LED TVs and other things bought with the extortion money.
A local court remanded them in police custody till Monday. Police are probing whether the couple had targeted some other people in the same manner.