Case registered against NCP leader for trying to extort money from wind power firm

A case of extortion has been registered against a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and two others in Maharashtra’s Beed district for allegedly demanding Rs 2 crore from a wind energy firm, police said on Thursday.

Two of the accused in the case are also wanted in connection with the murder of a village sarpanch in Kej tehsil of the district two days ago, police said.

On Monday, Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village, was abducted and murdered. Police named Vishnu Chate and Sudarshan Ghule among the six accused in the case.

On Wednesday, another First Information Report was registered at Kej police station against Valmik Karad, Chate and Ghule for allegedly demanding money from an official of wind power firm Avaada Energy to allow its wind farm to operate in the vicinity of Massajog.

Karad is a local leader of the NCP led by Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Sunil Shinde, project officer of Avaada Energy, claimed in his complaint that Chate called him at Karad’s behest last month, and asked the company to stop its operations, warning of dire consequences if it did not.

Ghule came to his office on the same afternoon, and threatened him, the complaint said.

A few days ago, Valmik Karad called Shivaji Thopte, who is involved in the same project, to Parli and demanded Rs 2 crore if the company wanted to continue its operations in the area, the complaint said.

Kej police registered an FIR against Karad, Ghule and Chate under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 308 (extortion) and other relevant provisions, police said, adding that no arrest has been made yet.