Father-daughter duo held for extortion

A 58-year-old man and his daughter were arrested here on extortion charges, after they sought a ransom of Rs 2 lakh from a builder in Virar last month, police said today.
Palghar police spokesperson Jayant Bajbale said the accused, identified as Laxmikanth Tiwari and his daughter Jyoti (23) were held yesterday.
The duo chalked out an extortion plan wherein Jyoti posed as a reporter of a local channel and met the builder at his office in Virar in May, the officer said.
She threatened the victim that the construction carried out by his company in Virar was "illegal" and she would seek information about the detail of his work under RTI from the local civic corporation.

She also told the victim that if any illegality was found, he would face dire consequences, and hence, should pay her a ransom of Rs 2 lakh, Bajbale said.
They however settled the deal at Rs 1 lakh and under pressure, the builder shelled out Rs 30,000 on May 22, which was received by a middle man, named Rohit.

After he paid the first instalment, the builder approached Virar police and lodged a complaint.
The victim told the police that he was to hand over the second portion of the extortion sum yesterday at a hotel, following which police laid a trap and arrested Jyoti while she was receiving Rs 20,000.

Subsequently, her father was also held, he said adding that the middleman is yet to be nabbed.
The duo was booked under IPC sections 354 (extortion) and 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) rw 34 (common intention), police said.