The Nhava Sheva police arrested Ashish Chowdhary (52), an actor-turned-journalist, on Sunday night for allegedly trying to extort money from a shop owner by firing a gun.
Shailendrakumar Yadav (32), owner of a dairy and sweet mart at Sector 18 in Ulwe, said in his complaint that the accused reached his shop in a drunken state at 7.30 p.m. and threatened to post a video on his YouTube channel, Navi Mumbai Ulwe News, about him violating lockdown rules if he doesn’t pay up ₹2,000.
“When Mr. Yadav turned him away, the accused fired his gun. People panicked and Mr. Yadav hid inside his shop. Mr. Chowdhary then fled the scene,” senior police inspector Pramod Jadhav said.
The police said the accused, a resident of Sector 18 in Ulwe, had fired an air gun. “When fired, the gun produces sound and smoke. We have sent the gun for forensic examination. We are also trying to find out from where he got the gun,” Mr. Jadhav said. The accused has completed his BA in mass communication and claims to have acted in a crime series.
Mr. Chowdhary has been arrested under Sections 384 (extortion) and 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion) of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act. He was produced before the court on Monday and remanded in police custody till October 1.
