Mumbai cops invoke stringent MCOCA charge against gangster Ashwin Naik

Mumbai: The city police on Tuesday evoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against gangster Ashwin Naik and his aides in a case of abduction and extortion."The accused were produced in the court and were remanded in further police custody till 2 January," said Special Public Prosecutor Dileep Shah, adding that MCOCA was invoked against them.A total of eight people have been arrested in the case.[caption id="attachment_2564502" align="alignleft" width="380"] Representational image. Image courtesy: PTI[/caption]On 20 December, police arrested Naik and others on Bhawani Shankar Road in Dadar area when they allegedly came to collect extortion money of Rs 50 lakh from a local builder.According to the police, Naik's aides had abducted the builder on December 9 at gun-point and took him to the gangster's office in Subhash Nagar area. Naik threatened the builder with dire consequences if he didn't pay Rs 50 lakh in cash and a 6000 sq ft premises in his upcoming project.Naik had allegedly collected Rs 25 lakh from the same builder earlier this month.On December 18, the builder approached Dadar police, after which a trap was laid and Naik and others were nabbed.PTI