The Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of Mumbai police has apprehended five individuals, including a brother-sister pair, in connection with an alleged extortion attempt targeting a property developer. The group reportedly sought to extort Rs 11 crore related to a prime property located in Bandra (West). This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding extortion practices within the real estate sector in Mumbai.
Police said Daniel Steven, his sister, Ethel Steven, and Nazir Rehman Shaikh were arrested late on Tuesday when they arrived at the developer’s office to collect the first instalment of Rs 25 lakh. In August, another accused identified as Nilesh, and Shaikh, Khan and Remy allegedly approached Sharma through an acquaintance and claimed that Daniel, Ethel and Tony were willing to relinquish their claim over the property for Rs 22 crore. Following negotiations, the alleged demand was brought down to Rs 11 crore, police said. Based on the complaint, the AEC laid a trap and arrested Daniel, Ethel and Nazir while they allegedly accepted Rs 25 lakh as the first instalment. All five accused were produced before the 37th metropolitan magistrate’s court, which remanded them in police custody till September 5.
Because of Fernandes’s involvement they were even examining whether they could apply the stringent law MCOCA in the case, they said that.
Fernandes is a member of Chhota Rajan gang and a habitual offender, said the police. Their accomplices, Abdullah Khan and Remy Fernandes, were subsequently arrested from their respective residences. Abdullah and Remy were arrested subsequently.
In July the BMC subsequently disconnected electricity and water and demolished the structure on June 24 after declaring it a C-1 category dilapidated structure. The complainant alleged that members of the Stevens family continued visiting the site with armed men and threatening security personnel.
The case was registered on a complaint by Gagan Sharma, head of business development at Diljay Property Developers Pvt Ltd. The developer had acquired church property on Perera Road in Bandra through an auction and obtained a no-objection certificate from the charity commissioner. The Stevens, however, claimed rights over the property and had approached the court. Civil litigation between the parties is pending.