Man, 51, held by Mumbai crime branch for extorting builder

The Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai crime branch arrested a 51-year-old man on Friday for allegedly blackmailing and extorting a city-based builder. 

The accused, identified as Imtiyaz Tochyawala alias Mannu, had been blackmailing the victim stating that he would tell everyone about his woman friend if he did not give him Rs 3 crore. 

The police have seized a mobile phone, a UAE residence card and a driving licence from Mannu, a resident of Agripada. 

According to the police, the complainant, 45, had gone to Goa on a holiday in September 2017. There, he met a woman from Mumbai who was also vacationing there with her sister and a friend. He became friends with her and they stayed at the same hotel. 

The builder and woman stayed in contact and used to go to parties, the police said. 

In May 2018, the builder got a call from Mannu, who asked him to meet him at a Marine Drive hotel. “The victim and his friend met Mannu, who told them he was aware of their ‘relationship’ and had the mobile records to prove it. In another meeting, Mannu showed the builder the call details with the woman,” said a crime branch officer. 

Later, Mannu asked for Rs 2.50 crore from the builder, stating that he would tell his family and kin about his ‘relationship’ if he did not hand over the money in three days. 

Frightened, the builder gave Mannu Rs 10 lakh. But then, on July 25, the victim’s wife got a message which talked about his friendship with the woman. He then lodged a police complaint. 

“We have arrested Mannu,” said the officer, adding that the woman had split up with her boyfriend in January.