VASCO/MARGAO: Two cops attached to the Vasco Railway Police Station were on Thursday placed under suspension and four persons were arrested in connection with the alleged extortion of Rs 16 lakh from a businessman from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
South Goa Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunita Sawant suspended head constable Vinayak alias Shrikant Kalgutkar and constable Anand S Naik, both attached to the Vasco Railway Police Station. Both the cops were deployed for election duty and were present in the Flying Squad vehicle and on Sunday, March 31, when the two staff impersonated as Income Tax officers and allegedly exported money from the businessman at Sancaole
It is learnt that one of the suspended policemen was present during Sunday night incident but failed to report it to the higher ups. The second cop was given a holiday following his request to attend a birthday of his relative. But though he was not physically present when the incident took place, the cop too did not report the matter when he resumed duty next day.
The Verna Police on Thursday arrested Nitish Naik, lower division clerk (LDC) working in the office of the executive engineer, Division XI of Electricity Department, Vasco and Anirudha Pawar, municipal engineer Grade III working in the Mormugao Municipal Council for allegedly extorting Rs 16 lakh from two businessmen from Ghaziabad, UP at Sancaole.
Later, police arrested two more persons Keshav Khandvekar, a driver of the vehicle used by the Flying Squad for Dabolim Assembly constituency and Chandan Yadav from Dabolim, who runs a fast food centre. Police suspect that Yadav allegedly tipped off Naik about the two businessmen carrying cash amount.
Later, in the evening the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Vasco granted conditional bail to the four accused. The court released them on a bail of Rs 20,000 each and one surety in like amount each. They have been asked to remain present for investigations as and when called by the investigating officer.
Advocates Amey Prabhudessai and Prasad Dessai argued on behalf of the accused. The police had opposed the bail applications of the four accused stating that they were required in custody for custodial interrogation to recover the remaining cash of Rs eight lakh and further to find out whether there are any more accused involved in this crime.
The Verna Police on Thursday recovered Rs eight lakh from the two accused Nitish Naik and Anirudha Pawar on Thursday.
The police said that they recovered Rs four lakh from Naik and another Rs four lakh from Pawar even as the businessman Ashok Chowdhary had complained that the duo had extorted Rs 16 lakh after intercepting their vehicle at Sancoale. Police are now verifying whether the accused had extorted Rs 16 lakh or Rs eight lakh.
Verna PI Melson Colaco is conducting further investigations under the guidance of Vasco DySP Santosh Dessai and SP South Sunita Sawant.
