Navi Mumbai police official said that three persons were booked for allegedly seeking extortion money from a Raigad resident and threatening him with dire consequences if he did not pay.
The man, who wanted to set up a stall at a local exhibition, was told to pay Rs 35,000 by the accused, after which he filed a complaint on Saturday, the Kalamboli police station official said.
They have been charged with extortion, criminal intimidation under Indian Penal Code sections and also under provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. No arrest has been made and probe into the case was underway, he said.
In an similar incident, Koraput police on Sunday arrested four persons including a woman for allegedly trying to extort money from a businessman of Padwa by posing as Maoists. The accused were identified as Rabindra Mahanandia and Dhirendra Mahanandia of Damanjodi and Badal Mahanandia and Kajal Mahanandia of Semiliguda.