Cop extorts Rs 10 lakh from beautician for not implicating her in false case; held

Nagpur, Oct 23 (PTI) A policeman was arrested by Nagpur Police for allegedly extorting Rs 10 lakh from a beautician in the name of a senior police officer for not implicating her in a "drugs" case, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Sachin Meshram, is known to the complainant. He had demanded Rs 12 lakh from her and accepted Rs 10 lakh in the past. He was nabbed while accepting the rest of Rs 2 lakh from the complainant. His accomplice is on the run, an official said.

Police had arrested one Sojal Dumre in a drug smuggling case in August, an official said.

On October 8, Mehsram allegedly contacted the beautician on her mobile phone and summoned her to a hotel in Pardi area. During their meeting, he claimed that the names of Dumre and three women had surfaced in the smuggling case, the official said quoting the FIR.

Meshram told the woman that a senior police officer wanted to question her and a case would be filed against her.

"Meshram initially demanded Rs 20 lakh to settle the matter but eventually agreed to accept Rs 12 lakh. Meshram took the woman to meet a man who he claimed was a clerk to the police officer," the official said.

Suspecting something was amiss, the complainant recently approached Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul Madne and recounted the incident, leading to Meshram's arrest. PTI COR NSK