Deepak Kesarkar’s staffer accuses Malad resident of extortion

A staffer of Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar has lodged a complaint with the Malabar Hill police, accusing a Malad resident, identified as Pradeep Bhalekar, of extortion, threat and criminal intimidation.The police said in the complaint, the staffer alleged that the accused, who became acquainted with Kesarkar two-three years ago, had been demanding money from him frequently and, when he stopped, Bhalekar allegedly threatened to “expose their (Kesarkar and another minister’s) plan to bomb BJP leader Narayan Rane’s residence”, drag them to court and file cases against the minister.

According to the police, the case was registered on Saturday (July 15) under sections 384 (extortion), 388 (extortion by threat of accusation of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life, etc), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC by the staffer, identified as Yogesh Telikocharekar (42).The police said that the accused was subsequently arrested. He was produced in court on Saturday and remanded in police custody till Wednesday.