Two Journalists, RTI Activist Arrested For Extortion Bid In Thane: Cops

The Thane police in Maharashtra have arrested two journalists and an "RTI activist" for allegedly trying to extort money from a government official by defaming him and orchestrating a fake protest, an official said on Saturday.

The police have identified the trio as Santosh Bhikan Hirey (44) of the weekly 'Navasfurti', published from Ambernath in Thane district, Samsad Sajjadkhan Pathan (48), editor of the weekly 'Lok Rajkaran' in Nashik, and Subash Nathu Patil (40), a Nashik resident who acquired information under RTI.

The three were arrested on the complaint of a sub-registrar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shivraj Patil said.

The accused told the government official that they would print reports in their publications that corrupt practices were going on in his office and would demand his dismissal if he didn't pay up Rs 2 lakh.

When the sub-registrar ignored the demand, they printed defamatory reports and staged a fast, said the DCP.

The official then filed a complaint with the anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Thane police who laid a trap and arrested Hirey and Pathan on Thursday while collectively accepting Rs 1.5 lakh from the victim, the official said.

Senior inspector Shekar Bagde of the AEC said the three have been remanded in police custody till November 7. They have also extracted money from many government officials in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Nashik using the same method, he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)