The arrested duo has been identified as Satish Chaurasia (27), the executive editor of the tabloid, and Manish Sonawane (20), a reporter.
The Kurar police on Thursday arrested two people working as journalists in a local regional weekly tabloid for allegedly trying to extort Rs25,000 from the owner of an imitation jewellery unit in Malad (East).
The arrested duo has been identified as Satish Chaurasia (27), the executive editor of the tabloid, and Manish Sonawane (20), a reporter.
According to the police, complainant Satyaranjit Yadav, who runs an imitation factory in Kurar, has said in his complaint that Chaurasia and Sonawane claimed to be senior journalists and demanded money from him. The duo also allegedly blackmailed Yadav and later tried to threaten him to pay the money.
"On Thursday around 11.30am Chaurasia and Sonawane went to Yadav's factory. The duo first showed their IDs and threatened Yadav that they will register a complaint against the illegal processing of the jewellery regarding the production and imitation which was being done against the prescribed laws," senior inspector Limbanna Vhanmane of Kurar police station.
He added that the accused also demanded Yadav's licence and started interrogating him about his imitation business and factory management. After the questioning, the accused blackmailed Yadav that they would file a police complaint against him and defame him and if he didn't pay them Rs25,000. However, Yadav refused to comply and later sought police help.
"The arrested people have been presented in court and sent to police custody. Their IDs have been seized and our team is in process of verifying authenticity of the same based on the registration numbers on the cards. The duo has been charged with extortion, criminal intimidation and acts done by several persons in furtherance to common intention under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code," Vhanmane said.
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