02 February,2025 08:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar Sharma
Ongoing SRA projects in Worli. Pics/Hanif Patel
Former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator from Nalasopara, Swapnil Bandekar, and three associates, including a Right to Information (RTI) activist, were arrested on Saturday night by Navghar police for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 10 crore from an SRA builder in Worli.
Investigators are probing whether the crime was solely a case of blackmail and extortion or if the accused were also trying to hijack SRA projects by harassing the complainant with numerous RTI applications. "We are exploring this angle because one of the accused in this case is a builder," said an officer involved in the investigation.
The arrested individuals include Bandekar, Himanshu Shaha, Nikhil Bolar, and Kishore Kajrekar. They were caught after the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police set up a trap at a restaurant in Mira Road, following a complaint by 34-year-old builder Akash Pawan Gupta.
Sources in the Navghar police said more arrests could follow. "Others too have filed RTI applications to harass the complainant. We will verify their roles and call them for questioning," said another officer.
Gupta explained that since March 2024, the accused had been disrupting his three ongoing SRA projects by filing multiple RTI applications in different departments.
Initially, the accused demanded Rs 10 crore but later agreed to R1.5 crore after several rounds of negotiation, Gupta alleged.
"When I asked why they were filing so many RTI applications, one of them, Himanshu, told me that Bandekar had demanded Rs 10 crore to stop the harassment," Gupta claimed. "Himanshu, a Vasai-based builder, was negotiating with me. Our first meeting took place on October 22, 2024, at a coffee shop in Matunga. I had to go because they were closely monitoring me and my family," Gupta recalled.
"At that meeting, I offered R25 lakh to end the harassment, but Bandekar got annoyed and asked Himanshu if he had brought his âghoda' (weapon). Terrified, I agreed to R3 crore. Eventually, the deal was settled at R1.5 crore, to be paid in instalments," he added. The agreement included R25 lakh payments in November and December, followed by R10 lakh monthly till October. However, after Gupta failed to pay in November and December, the accused resumed their harassment in January.
Gupta then agreed to pay the first Rs 25 lakh instalment on January 31, followed by Rs 25 lakh between February 5-10, and another Rs 25 lakh by February 15. This was decided over a conference call with all the accused, he said. On January 31, the accused insisted on meeting at Mira Road instead of Mumbai.
Gupta, who had informed Navghar police in advance, withdrew Rs 15 lakh from his bank as bait. The police marked the currency notes, bundled them, and sent officers to the restaurant, where they occupied tables, posing as customers.
Himanshu arrived first, and after seeing the cash, he called Bandekar to confirm. As soon as he did, plainclothes officers swooped in, seized the money, and detained Himanshu.
Following police instructions, Himanshu then called Bandekar, who asked him to bring Gupta to Nalasopara instead. A police team escorted Gupta's car, with a constable driving it. Before reaching Nalasopara, Gupta switched to the driver's seat while police officers, disguised as office staff, sat in the back to avoid raising suspicion.
At Achole in Nalasopara East, Kishore arrived first, followed by Bandekar and Nikhil 15 minutes later. As soon as they entered Gupta's car, police officers moved in. Sensing trouble, Nikhil tried to escape but was overpowered after a minor scuffle.
Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prakash Gaikwad confirmed the arrests. "Bandekar and his gang had been blackmailing a builder whose project is underway in Worli. They were arrested based on his complaint," he said.
Navghar police Senior Inspector Dhiraj Koli said, "We have registered an FIR under sections of the BNS and arrested the four accused."
