01 October,2026 10:50 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
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Police have registered a case against a man who allegedly posed as an RTI activist and extorted Rs 1.35 lakh from a local developer by threatening to disrupt his construction projects and implicate him in false criminal cases, officials said on Wednesday.
The accused has been identified as Tribhuvan Lalbihari Singh, 47. According to police, he allegedly targeted the developer's construction sites in Airoli and Digha from the first week of May 2026.
Police said Singh allegedly threatened to file complaints against the developer's projects with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), CIDCO and MIDC.
According to the complaint, the accused allegedly warned that such complaints could lead to action against the projects and cause financial losses to the developer. Police are investigating the allegations and the circumstances in which the demands were made.
The developer allegedly faced repeated threats linked to the construction projects, with Singh allegedly using the prospect of complaints to pressure him into making payments.
The police complaint also alleges that Singh intimidated the developer and his son and threatened them with physical assault. He allegedly warned that they could be implicated in false criminal cases if they did not meet his demands.
Police said the developer eventually paid Rs 1.35 lakh to Singh through a combination of cash payments and online transfers.
The payments were allegedly made under pressure arising from the threats. However, according to the police, the demands did not end after the developer paid the amount.
Police said Singh subsequently demanded another Rs 5,000 from the developer.
The continued demand prompted the developer to approach the police and file a formal complaint against Singh. The complaint led to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) at Rabale police station on September 29.
The allegations include extortion, criminal intimidation and intentional insult with the alleged intent to provoke a breach of peace.
Rabale police registered the case against Singh under sections 308(5), 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Section 308(5) relates to extortion, while Section 351(2) deals with criminal intimidation. Section 352 concerns intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of peace.
Police have not indicated that the complaints allegedly threatened by Singh against the developer's projects were actually filed with the civic and development authorities.
The allegations against Singh are now being investigated by the Rabale police. Investigators are examining the developer's complaint, the alleged payments made through cash and online transfers, and the threats reportedly issued against the developer and his son.
Police said further investigation is underway.
(With inputs from PTI)
