Pune: SRPF Constable Arrested For Attempting To Extort Rs 12 Lakh By Posing As CBI Officer
Pune, 26th October 2024: A State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) constable who had worked on deputation with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for six years attempted to extort Rs 12 lakh from a businessman in Bavdhan, claiming to be a CBI officer. The arrested constable has been identified as Vinod Annappa Thorwat (age 39, resident of Gadhinglaj, District Kolhapur). His accomplice is a Police Constable in Mumbai, currently working on deputation at the Mumbai Office of the CBI. A case has also been registered against him. The court has ordered that Thorwat be held in police custody until 29th October.
Suhas Ashokrao Wankhede (age 40, resident of Bavdhan) filed a complaint at the Bavdhan Police Station. According to the police, Thorwat works in Group One of the State Reserve Police Force in Hadapsar. He was on deputation with the CBI from 2016 to 2022, after which he rejoined the SRPF. Wankhede owns Safetechno Services in Bavdhan, and a previous case involving this company was under investigation by the CBI, which was eventually settled.
Thorwat’s friend at the Mumbai CBI office was aware of Wankhede’s case. Based on this knowledge, both conspired to extort money from Wankhede. Accordingly, Thorwat visited Wankhede’s company with a colour-shaded identity card from his time with the CBI. He falsely claimed, “I am a CBI officer, and your file has come to me for inspection,” and demanded Rs 12 lakh to avoid further issues. However, Wankhede doubted his claims and promptly reported the matter to the police. Following this, the situation came to light, and the Bavdhan police are currently investigating.
