Lakadganj police flip-flop on booking accused involved in extortion bid
Nagpur: Crime reporter of one of the leading media houses, Lokmat Samachar has been found having nexus with RTI Activists Mukesh Shahu who has been booked for extorting money worth Rs 50,000/- from a trader on a revolver point in the city recently.
According to the trader Nilesh Shankarlal Shahu’s complaint, RTI Activist Mukesh Shahu along with the Crime Reporter of Lokmat Newspaper Jagdish Joshi and three others blocked the way of the trader near Pritam Complex when he was proceeding to Hingna on a business errand on a two-wheeler along with his friend Siraj Bhai. At that time, Mukesh Shahu, Jagdish Joshi and three others travelling in a car bearing RTO Registration Number MH-31/ ER 0606 emerged from the car. They then surrounded the complainant Nilesh Shahu and threatened to kill him. While Mukesh Shahu whipped out a knife, Jagdish Joshi is said to have taken out his pistol and snatched the bag from the possession of the trader containing Rs 50,000/-. They also threatened him saying if you want to continue your business, you have to pay an extortion amount of Rs 20,000/- per month. Failing this we will implicate you in false cases.
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Saturday 22 Feb. 2025
Nilesh in his complaint had alleged that he was implicated in a false case in 2013 too by Mukesh Shahu using his contacts in the police department. The cops of Lakadganj Police Station initially were reluctant to register a case against Mukesh Shahu and others. However, when the trader knocked the doors of the court, and following the directives of the court, Lakadganj Police finally registered a case against the five accused on December 4, 2015 under Sections 384, 386, 395, 294, 506 (B) of Indian Penal Code.
The five accused are identified as RTI Activist Mukesh Jaidev Shahu a resident of Sonbaji Nagar, Anant Agrawal a resident of Wardhaman Nagar, Girdhari Agrawal also a resident of Wardhaman Nagar, Bablu Jaidev Shahu of Sonbaji Nagar and Lokmat Crime Reporter Jagdish Joshi a resident of Shrikrishna Nagar.
The complainant Nilesh Shankarlal Shahu a resident of Small Factory area runs a Scrap trade on commission basis.
Sources claimed that there have been many other cases slapped against RTI Activist Mukesh Shahu on earlier occasions too.
Some haunting questions!
What is surprising is that why were Lakadganj Police personnel hesitant in registering a case when the complainant went to lodge his complaint? When the case was registered under Arms Act, have the police confiscated the pistol from the Crime Reporter of Lokmat Newspaper? Is the Lakadganj police acting under some pressure?
No offence registered as yet: PI
When Nagpur Today contacted Police Inspector Nikam of Lakadganj Police Station who is said to be the Investigation Officer in this case said that no offence has been registered as yet. An FIR only has been registered against the five accused that too on the directives of the Court. The pistol which was allegedly used for extortion too has not been confiscated as yet. He added that investigations are still on.
