'Matka' king Pappu Savla, aide arrested for extortion

Gambling king Pappu Savla and his aide were arrested today for allegedly demanding Rs 33 crore in extortion money from a builder, a police official said.
Savla, known as 'matka' (gambling) king, and his aide Raju Dave, were arrested from their homes by the sleuths of Unit-11 of Crime Branch, he said.
The arrests were made on a complaint lodged by the builder, a resident of suburban Borivali, the official said
Savla and the builder had some dispute over construction business in Borivali. Savla and Dave signed an "MoU" with the builder in 2012 to settle the row, he said.

As part of the MoU, the duo paid Rs 5 crore to the builder, he said.
In 2017, Savla and his aide called the builder and cancelled the MoU. They also asked him to pay Rs 33 crore to them and threatened to kill his wife and son if he failed to make the payment, the official said.

They also forcefully took allotment letter of a shop in suburban Kandivali from the realtor and also demanded five shops in another project, he said.
The builder approached the Borivali police station and lodged a complaint against Savla and his aide, the official said.

Crime Branch started an investigation in the case and today arrested both the accused said Nisar Tamboli, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection-1).
Savla and Dave were charged with extortion and produced before a court which sent them in police custody till January 20, he said.