‘Corpn staff’ tries to extort money from shop owner in Chennai

CHENNAI: Two men who posed as Chennai Corporation staff and attempted to extort money from traders in Sowcarpet in the pretext of a raid for banned plastic items were arrested by the Chennai police on Saturday.

The accused were identified as R Rajendran, (56) of Ayanavaram and L Sathish Kumar, (32) of Perambur. Police said that, on Friday, the two of them went to a shop on Malaya Perumal street and said that they are conducting searches about banned plastics in the shops.

The shop owner, Mitta Lal, told the duo that he has not stocked any plastic items. However, they insisted that they would search and demanded bribe from the shop owner. Suspicious over their behaviour, the shop owner called the police control room. Sensing trouble, they fled the area.

Esplanade police on Saturday arrested the two of them. Investigations revealed that they have used the same modus operandi and had extorted from shopkeepers in Ambattur and Avadi area. Police recovered Rs 30,000 cash from them. They were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.