MUMBAI: A former home guard has been detained by the Govt Railway Police (GRP) for questioning in the case where a sum of Rs 10.3 lakh had allegedly been extorted from a businessman at Bandra terminus by two men posing as cops earlier this week. Assistant sub-inspector Vijaya Ingavle of Bandra GRP was arrested in the case on Wednesday along with the two fake cops – Nilesh Kalsulkar and Pravin Shukla. Kalsulkar is an engineer by qualification while Shukla has an MBA and worked part-time as a loan executive. Investigators said at least eight individuals are involved in the offence and Ingavle was the mastermind.The incident occurred on Sept 1 when the businessman was at Bandra terminus with the cash. He made inquiries about trains leaving for Gujarat and then waited at the main concourse. A subsequent police probe revealed that he was at the terminus at the recommendation of an acquaintance. The acquaintance had asked him to bring cash to meet with a trader and make a deal in electronics and cryptocurrencies. But before that could happen, Kalsulkar and Shukla approached him and said they were policemen in civvies. They examined his bag and found the cash. They took him to a chowky at Bandra terminus where Ingavle was waiting with a few other men. According to investigators, Ingavle threatened the businessman with legal action for carrying unaccounted cash. She did not accept his explanation that the money was his. One of the men present in the chowky took away the money. Police are investigating the role of the acquaintance who had lured the businessman with the prospect of a deal. The businessman was left shaken and approached the Bandra GRP only the next day to lodge a complaint. An FIR was registered and transferred to the GRP’s crime branch. Investigators carried out a technical analysis, going through CCTV footage from the terminus and phone records, before tracking down Kalsulkar and Shukla. According to investigators, Kalsulkar had been spotted moving around with Ingavle. He had been booked in a separate case of cheating and forgery nearly a decade ago. Investigators suspect he scouted for targets at Bandra terminus. “We are inquiring if any other passengers were similarly targetted by these accused,” said a senior official. Ingavle, Kalsulkar and Shukla have been remanded to police custody till Sept 10 by a railway court.
