Mumbai: The anti extortion cell (AEC) of Mumbai police arrested two persons for allegedly threatening officials associated with the House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoAL) and demanded Rs 6 crore in connection with its housing project in Goa.The AEC on Sunday arrested Siddesh Tari and Pritesh Salgaonkar on charges of threatening and extortion. Both were produced before a holiday court and were remanded in police custody.Police said the complaint was filed by HoAL liaison officer Bhushan Patil alleged that Tari and Salgaonkar visited the company’s ‘One Goa’ project site at Karapur in Bicholim, in the last week of April 2026 and the duo abused and threatened him and his colleague, claiming that they would not allow the project work to continue unless they were paid Rs 3 crore each.Following discussions with company officials, Tari and Salgaonkar allegedly agreed to reduce the demand to Rs 10 lakh each. Police said Tari allegedly received Rs 34 lakh in instalments, while Pritesh received Rs 7 lakh.Patil also alleged that despite these payments, the Tari and Salgaonkar continued demanding money. On Aug 12, Salgaonkar allegedly called him on WhatsApp and demanded another Rs 10 lakh, claiming that the money was required to ensure that the project faced no disruption.Patil said that Salgaonkar also allegedly claimed that he and Tari had initiated an agitation near the Shantadurga temple in Karapur and offered to provide details of the protesters and the amounts to be paid to them to withdraw the agitation.
