Police hint at MCOCA action for forced donations; extortion from industrialists

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Nitin Bagate has issued a warning that those forcibly demanding donations and extorting industrialists will face action under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). He was speaking at a seminar organised on "Law and Order in the Waluj Industrial Area" at the MASSIA office on Monday.

Crime is on the rise in the industrial estates, with increasing incidents of robbery, theft, and extortion at the point of weapons, as well as kidnapping plots for ransom targeting industrialists. This growing criminal activity has created an atmosphere of fear and terror among industrialists. Hence to maintain law and order in the industrial area, MASSIA organised the seminar.

DCP Nitin Bagate, Police Inspector (Waluj MIDC police station) Krishna Shinde, MIDC Executive Engineer R D Muliwar, MASSIA President Chetan Raut, CII Zonal President Sunil Kirdak, CMIA President Dushyant Patil, and Laghu Udyog Bharati (LUB) President Ravindra Vaidya and other prominent guests attended the session.

The industrialists presented their grievances before the DCP Bagate demanding strict measures to establish peace in the industrial estate. They reported that individuals with criminal tendencies were demanding donations under the guise of religious events (functions), and when refused, harassing industrialists with false complaints to various government departments. There were also accusations of misuse of the Right to Information (RTI) Act for extortion. The industrialists raised concerns about increasing encroachments, illegal alcohol sales, and other criminal activities in the industrial estate.

Former MASSIA President Anil Patil, Vice President Arjun Gaikwad, Manish Agrawal, Secretary Rajendra Choudhary, Ramakant Pulkundwar, Sarjerao Salunke, Suresh Khillare, Kamalakar Patil, Rahul Mogle, Dushyant Athawale, Pralhad Gaikwad, Abhishek Modani, Ajay Gandhi, Mangesh Niturkar, Nitin Toshniwal, industrialist Milind Kank, Sanjay Bhatade, Pankaj Loya, Dattatray Bedade, Angiras Joshi, Manoj Kank, Ashok Jagdhane, Abhimanyu Patil, Pramod Nagare, Sumant Gole, Ganesh Sarovar, Abhijeet Pathade, Rajshree Kulkarni, Santosh Raut, Sandeep Patil, Manoj Shirsath, and H B Laddha were among those present on the occasion.

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MCOCA on those demanding forced donations and extortion

Taking cognizance of the representation of complaints made by the industrialists' the DCP Bagate assured them that the police would be taking strict action under MCOCA against those forcibly demanding donations and extorting industrialists, provided they report such incidents without fear. He also suggested creating a WhatsApp group for industrialists to share information about incidents, to curb such incidents and avert crime as it would enable the police to respond promptly, he stressed.