Maha: Two held for extortion in Raigad district

Two persons have been arrestedfor allegedly extorting Rs 2 lakh from a farmer inMaharashtra's Raigad district, police said on Friday.

The local crime branch of Raigad police on Wednesdayevening nabbed Rajan Patil and Bhiva Pawar, both teachers at alocal school, for allegedly threatening a farmer and extortingRs 2 lakh from him, an official said.

According to the police, the duo had allegedly gotteninformation that Ramesh Shetty, who owns 28 acres of land inShilim village, had availed of funds under government schemesfor fish farming.

The accused threatened Shetty that they would revealthat he had not been carrying out fish farming on his land anddemanded Rs 2 lakh for not divulging this information, theofficial said.

An offence has been registered against the duo atGoregaon (Raigad) police station under section 384 (extortion)and other relevant sections of the IPC.