Nagpur: An RTI activist, who was arrested on the charges of theft and molestation, has again been booked for demanding extortion money from a school bus owner. Interestingly, two such offences were already registered against the RTI activist at Kalamna Police Station. Unconfirmed report says that the RTI activist Mukesh Shahu is in jail for the past offences.
According to police, the complainant Dilip Kapse (50), resident of Sonbaji Nagar, Kalamna, told police that between February and September this year, the two accused Mukesh Jaideo Shahu and Kamlakar Lohbare, both residents of the same area, first smashed glasses and damaged two school buses owned by him. The buses were parked in front of his (Dilip Kapse’s) house. After damaging the buses, the accused Mukesh Shahu and Kamlakar Lohbare abused him and demanded Rs 10,000 as extortion money every month. The two accused even threatened of dire consequences if Dilip failed to meet their demand. Scared by the threats, Dilip acceded to their demand and paid Rs 10,000 to them every month till September.
However, the two accused hiked the amount and demanded Rs 15,000 as extortion money for allowing Dilip Kapse’s two school buses to be parked in the area. Fed up with ‘Dadagiri’ of the accused RTI activist Mukesh Shahu and Kamlakar Lohbare, Dilip Kapse approached Kalamna police and lodged a complaint in this regard.
Acting on the complaint, PSI Bhagile booked the accused RTI activist Mukesh Shahu and Kamlakar Lohbare under Sections 384, 504, 506, 427, 34 of IPC and launched an investigation into the matter.
Notably, Nagpur Today had run a report headlined: “RTI activist arrested on theft and molestation charge” wherein it was stated, an RTI activist forcibly entered into a woman’s kirana shop and snatched over Rs 2000 from cash counter and also molested her daughter-in-law for refusing to give ‘Vargani’ (contribution/donation) for Navratri festival. A report says that the RTI activist has been arrested while police say he has been booked in the case.
On October 11, the 51-year old woman and her daughter-in-law, both residents of Kalamna, were manning their kirana shop. Around 4.30 pm, the accused RTI activist Mukesh Shahu (36), resident of the same area, came at the kirana shop and demanded ‘Vargani’ for Navratri festival. However, the woman refused to part with the money.
Enraged by her refusal, accused Mukesh Shahu forcibly entered into the kirana shop and snatched Rs 2040 kept in the cash counter. Not only the accused took money but also jostled with the woman’s daughter-in-law indecently and thus molested her. Based on the woman’s complaint, Kalamna PSI Raut booked the accused RTI activist under Sections 392, 354, 452, 506 of IPC and arrested him on Wednesday.
