Agency report

Mumbai, May 29: The Mira Road police have arrested a BPO professional and his father for extortion last weekend.

They had allegedly threatened Rashmi Builders with legal action unless they were given two flats worth Rs 50 lac.

It was a usual practice for the father-son duo — Sukhminder Singh Hundal (57) and Jagjit Singh Hundal (25) — to threaten builders, saying they had flouted norms under the Urban Land Control (Regulations) Act.

Sukhminder had in fact floated Apni Party, a political party, and was the self-styled president of the Hundal Welfare Association for this purpose.

He would write to builders on the party letterhead, stating they had flouted norms and ask them respond within seven days.

Using this method, he has sued well-known builders like Shanti Star Builder, Powai Developers, Unique Star Builder and Ram Nagar Developers. He withdrew the cases filed in the high court after the builders fulfilled his demands.

The Hundals finally met their match in Rashmi Builders. The duo had sent a letter dated May 12 to the builders making similar demands, but agreed to settle the matter on payment of Rs 5 lac.

Following this, Yogesh Bosmiya (25), director of Rashmi Builders, approached the police. They laid a trap, asking the Hundals to come to the office of Rashmi Builders to collect Rs 1 lac and caught them red-handed.

“Sukhvinder knows the law and it’s loopholes very well and used it to threaten builders,” said sub-inspector Kailash Barve of Mira Road police station.

The Hundals were arrested under Section 384 (extortion), 386 (extortion with threat to life) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).