Man blackmails couple, arrested

The city crime branch recently arrested a 26-year-old youth for allegedly trying to extort money from a couple. The arrested person has been identified as Rahul Devidas Hiwale alias Suresh, a resident of Chavan chawl in Kandivli east.

According to senior inspector Vinayak Vast of the Antop Hill unit of crime branch, on September 14, the complainant’s mobile phone was stolen in Sion. When the couple tried calling, Hiwale demanded Rs5,000 to return the phone. “A trap was laid by the Sion police, but he managed to take the Rs5,000 and escape with the mobile. Then, the complainant’s husband started receiving threat calls from him,” said Vast.

Hiwale was monitoring the family’s activities through the CCTV camera installed at their residence, whose connection was active on the stolen phone. He threatened to upload pictures of the couple’s daughter on Facebook if they did not give him Rs1 lakh.

The crime branch then swung into action and laid a trap. “Hiwale was caught red-handed while accepting money from the husband at  Chaityabhoomi in Dadar,” Vast said.