Extortion case: Two accused from Marne gang arrested

 

The Pune police on Thursday night arrested two more accused, including Rupesh Marne (38) and his associate, in the builder extortion case

Pune: The Pune police on Thursday night arrested two more accused, including Rupesh Marne (38) and his associate, in the builder extortion case. The Kothrud police had lodged an FIR against four persons for allegedly threatening a city-based builder and extorting ₹65 lakh from him. The duo was arrested from Mulshi area.

The accused have been identified as Marne and Santosh Shelar (42), history sheeters associated with the Gaja Marne gang. The other accused on the run are Umesh Wafgaonkar (42) and Anil Lalge (40). Nitin Nanware is already in police custody. The arrest was done by a team led by Narayan Shirgaonkar, assistant commissioner of police, crime branch department.

According to the FIR, the city-based builder had taken a loan of ₹1.85 crore from Rupesh for a construction project site and repaid ₹2.3 crore. However, the accused demanded ₹65 lakh more from the builder.

“We got information about Rupesh going to meet his wife at his village Andgaon in Mulshi taluka. Our team laid a trap and arrested him, and Santosh from his home at Botharwadi,” said Shirgaonkar.

“There are 17 FIRs lodged against Rupesh and 12 against Santosh in various crimes at various police stations in Pune. Till now 12 people from the Gaja Marne gang have been arrested and three are on the run,” he said.