Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 25: Mumbai police have arrested two women, including an artist, for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 1.5 crore from a real estate developer by threatening to falsely implicate his son in a criminal case, an official said on Wednesday.

The arrests were made by a team of the Anti-Extortion Cell on Tuesday at Lower Parel in central Mumbai, when the accused were allegedly accepting the first instalment of the extortion money.

According to police, the women and the complainant had met during a party on November 14, where a dispute reportedly broke out over an issue. Following the incident, one of the women allegedly threatened the developer that his son would be framed in a false case.

After a few days, the accused demanded Rs 10 crore to settle the matter. Following negotiations, the amount was brought down to Rs 5.5 crore. The developer then approached the Anti-Extortion Cell and the Crime Branch of Mumbai police, informing them about the extortion demand.

Police said the accused later asked for a first instalment of Rs 1.5 crore and were caught red-handed while accepting the money. Further investigation into the case is currently underway.