Mangaluru: Gram Panchayat member arrested for extortion

Mangaluru: A gram panchayat member was arrested for extorting money from a man accused of another crime by the police.

Pavoor Gram Panchayat member Abdul Khader Rizwan, 28, of Malarmane in Akshar Nagar, was arrested, police said.

The victim in the case had been accused in a robbery case in Surathkal Police station in December 2021. Two men approached the man and assured to get him out of the case and off the police radar and demanded Rs 3 lakhs for it. They had extorted rs 2.95 lakhs from the man in phases.

The man later came to know that police were searching for him and got anticipatory bail from a local court.

When the victim asked the men to return the money, they blatantly refused and issued death threats. They also demanded additional Rs 30,000 from him, police said.

The victim later lodged a complaint with the Pandeshwar police.

Meanwhile, police are on the lookout for the second accused in the case who has been absconding.