
3 min readMumbaiJun 5, 2026 01:51 PM IST
Police said two GRP personnel allegedly stopped Soni and checked his luggage. (Express Photo)
The Crime Branch of the Government Railway Police (GRP) has arrested three dismissed police personnel accused of extorting Rs 30,000 from a Rajasthan resident at Mumbai Central railway station last year, following a Supreme Court order cancelling the anticipatory bail granted to them by the Bombay High Court.
The arrested accused have been identified as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Lalit Ramchandra Jagtap and head constables Rahul Datta Bhosale and Anil Sitaram Rathod. All three were posted at Mumbai Central railway station at the time of the alleged incident.
According to the police, the incident took place on the night of August 10, 2024, when complainant Kamalkumar Soni and his eight-year-old daughter arrived at Mumbai Central railway station to board a train to Rajasthan.
Police said two GRP personnel allegedly stopped Soni and checked his luggage. During the search, they found a 14-gram gold piece wrapped in paper and Rs 31,900 in cash. Soni alleged that he was then taken to an office where the policemen claimed a senior officer was present.
According to the complaint, the officers threatened to beat him, keep him in custody through the night and have the gold seized through legal proceedings. Fearing he would miss his train and concerned about his young daughter travelling with him, Soni repeatedly requested that he be allowed to leave.
The complainant alleged that while the policemen eventually returned the gold ornament, they retained Rs 30,000 in cash before letting him go.
After returning to Rajasthan, Soni lodged a complaint at Ratangarh police station. Since the alleged offence had taken place in Mumbai, the FIR was subsequently transferred to the Mumbai GRP for investigation.
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The case was handed over to the GRP Crime Branch, which launched an inquiry. Investigators identified two of the accused through CCTV footage from the railway station, while the third was identified during the course of the investigation, police said.
Following the inquiry, senior GRP officials suspended the three personnel after finding prima facie evidence of their involvement in the alleged extortion and intimidation of the complainant and his daughter.
The accused initially sought anticipatory bail before a sessions court, which rejected their plea, citing the seriousness of the allegations. They subsequently approached the Bombay High Court, which granted them anticipatory bail in September 2025.
While granting relief, the High Court had observed that CCTV footage of the incident did not show signs of distress on the faces of Soni or his minor daughter.
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The Maharashtra government challenged the order before the Supreme Court. On May 27, the apex court examined the material placed before it and set aside the anticipatory bail granted to the three accused.
Following the Supreme Court’s order, the GRP Crime Branch arrested the trio.
Police said further investigation into the case is underway.
View original source — Indian Express ↗


