mumbai

Updated: Nov 05, 2017 01:21 IST

The Thane police late on Friday arrested the brother-in-law of Satish Mangale in the Rs7-crore extortion case. The 27-year-old brother-in-law, Atul Gawde, is the brother of Mangale’s first wife.

Mangale, 27, and his 26-year-old wife were arrested for allegedly trying to extort Rs7 crore from an IAS officer Radheshyam Mopalwar, who was suspended earlier this year after audio clips of him asking for bribes went viral. The Thane anti-extortion cell suspects that the couple used editing softwares to fake the clips.

Mangale is a private detective whom Mopalwar had hired while divorcing his second wife in 2012. He was caught accepting Rs1 crore at his rented apartment in Dombivli on Thursday. His wife, Shraddha who is a former Marathi film actor, was arrested from Mira Road on Friday.

The police found that Satish has a penchant to lead a lavish life and recently bought two flats one at Mira Road and another in Mumbai. He owns five four-wheelers, said the police.

Satish’s brother-in-law has been working for him for the past three years. Gawde was remanded in police custody till November 8.

Pradeep Sharma, senior inspector of the Thane anti-extortion cell, said, “We have arrested Gawde from Thane. We have learnt that Gawde attended the meeting at JW Marriot hotel where Mangale and Mopalwar discussed the extortion amount. Mopalwar had hired the detective, but the latter along with his three colleagues blackmailed the former by using editing softwares.”

In August this year, an audio clip was released in which Mopalwar is heard negotiating a Rs 4-crore land deal. To withdraw the case, Mangale allegedly tried to extort Rs 7 crore from Mopalwar. Mopalwar was relieved from his post as managing director and vice-chairman of MSRDC, following Mangale’s claims. An inquiry was set up to look into the clips.

Meanwhile, the police raided the Mira Road flat of the Mangale and seized many items. “Satish always wanted to live a luxurious life and had bought a flat too. Shraddha too wanted to live a lavish life,” said Sharma.