Friday, September 16, 2011

Sept 16, 2011: Extortionist cop informer arrested

, TNN | Sep 16, 2011, 03.21AM IST
MUMBAI: A police informer has been arrested from Andheri (E) for allegedly extorting moneyfrom local hoteliers, claiming that he was acting at the behest of senior officers and ministers. The police have also seized his car.

A native of Nagpur, Dinesh Tule (35) is a real estate broker. The police said he had been an informer for the social service branch of the Mumbai police for the past six months and tipped them off on bars flouting rules. Tule himself was an alcoholic and splurged on drinks, the police said, adding that his game was up on Thursday when SSB assistant commissioner Vasant Dhoble-whose name he dropped for extortion-caught him.

"Bar owners were aware that Tule had police contacts," senior inspector Pradeep Gosavi said. "Tule told hoteliers that he collected money on behalf of Dhoble who required funds fpr his son's education. The hoteliers did not know that Dhoble's son was already studying overseas." Over the past few weeks, Tule had collected Rs 3.25 lakh from the owners of Mansi, Ratna and Arrow bars at Andheri.

Tule not only misused Dhoble's name but he even claimed to be a close aide of guardian minister Naseem Khan.

Fed up with his demands, one of the bar owners called up Dhoble a few days ago to verify Tule's claims. Dhoble, along with the hoteliers, laid a trap; the hoteliers called Tule to Andheri early on Thursday and Dhoble landed up there. Tule was later handed over to the Andheri police and Arun Shetty, manager of Mansi Bar, lodged a complaint.

The Andheri police have recovered Rs 78,000 from Tule. He has cheating case registered with the Nagpur cops and extortion with the Aurangabad police. He was produced before a local court at Andheri East on Thursday.

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