A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Pune district booked in a ₹50 lakh extortion case, was allegedly seen pleading with a city-based builder and RTI activist to withdraw the complaint against him in a clip produced by the activist on Tuesday.
The activist, Ravindra Barate, had recently lodged a complaint against Yogesh Tilekar, the legislator from Hadapsar constituency, for allegedly demanding ₹50 lakh extortion money from Rahul Gangote, director, Evisions Teleinfra Pvt. Ltd. to allow laying of fibre optic cable network.
Mr. Barate, who is associated with Evisions Teleinfra, a company engaged in laying fibre optic cable for government and private establishments, alleged that the police are investigating instead of taking action against Mr. Tilekar.
In the clip, apparently recorded by Mr. Barate which has since gone viral, Mr. Tilekar and his brother appear to be apologising to the activist and begging him to withdraw the complaint against him.
The incident had occurred in August when Ganesh Kamthe, allegedly an accomplice of the MLA, stopped the company’s employees from laying a cable network in Katraj-Kondhwa.
“I first got a call from Mr. Kamthe, who claimed he was an accomplice of Mr. Tilekar, and demanded ₹50 lakh for continuing the work. When I informed Mr. Tilekar about this, he disclaimed any knowledge of Mr. Kamthe. When I received the call for the second time, I lodged a complaint with the Kondhwa police on September 8,” Mr. Barate said.
He further alleged that the MLA and his brother later met him at a city hotel to plead with him to withdraw the complaint. “He [Mr. Tilekar] even fell at my feet...but I refused to budge.”
According to Mr. Barate’s complaint, Mr. Tilekar’s henchmen stole fibre optic cable amounting to ₹40,000 when the company ignored his threats.
The Kondhwa police had registered an FIR against Mr. Tilekar under Sections 379 (theft), 384 (extortion), and 427 (damage to property) under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) earlier this month.
Mr. Tilekar, however, refuted the allegation that he had visited Mr. Barate with the intention of requesting him to withdraw the complaint. “I had merely requested Mr. Barate not to lodge a false complaint against me. I told him that it was a misunderstanding. I had touched his feet as he was my elder and I have known him for several years,” Mr. Tilekar said.
Mr. Barate, on his part, has accused the MLA of misusing his powers.
The Opposition has condemned Mr. Tilekar and demanded he publicly apologise to his constituents and step down from his elected post.
“It is shameful that the MLA is falling at Mr. Barate’s feet and demanding he withdraw his complaint. This is tantamount to a confession of his misdeeds,” Vasant More of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena said.
Meanwhile, the case against the MLA has taken a twist with Milind Gaikwad, the senior police inspector, Kondhwa station, being suddenly transferred after he registered the FIR against Mr. Tilekar.
Pune Police Commissioner K. Venkatesham had transferred Mr. Gaikwad to the special branch on October 17.
