Ugandan MP, ex-minister booked for extortion

Three Ugandan nationals, including a Parliamentarian and a former minister, were booked for allegedly trying to extort USD 20 million from four senior officials of electronics giant Videocon, police said today.
Those booked were identified as Mawanda Muranga (45), a sitting Parliamentarian, former minister Isaac Musumba (52) and businessman Yakub Mathai (35), they said.
"A case was registered at MRA Marg police station after a complaint filed by Videocon officials against the three under IPC sections 384 (punishment for extortion), 120 (b) (punishment of criminal conspiracy), and 441 (criminal trespass) for trying to extort money from the company's senior officials," Deputy police commissioner Ravindra Shisve told PTI.

All three were booked on April 19 after being picked up from a five-star hotel in south Mumbai, another officer said, adding, "As of now nobody has been arrested. One of them has a diplomatic passport. The probe is on. An appropriate action would be taken after a thorough probe."
While Mathai is still in Mumbai, the two others are in Delhi meeting their embassy officials, police said adding the Ministry of External Affairs has been informed about the development.
According to the police, the trio claimed that they had an international arrest warrant against the four directors of the company.

Citing the reason for the arrest warrant, the trio alleged that Videocon had invested in a business in Uganda in 2009, but the four directors wrapped up the business without proper intimation and left the country, duping several investors.
The three claimed that they came here for settlement and sought USD 20 million (about Rs 108 crore) from Videocon.