Kolkata Police arrested a Ranchi-based lawyer from a shopping mall in central Kolkata for his alleged involvement in a fraud case on Sunday.
Confirming the news, a senior officer of the Detective Department of Kolkata Police said Rs 50 lakh in cash had been found in the lawyer’s possession.
Kumar, a practising lawyer at Jharkhand High Court, was allegedly blackmailing a city-based businessman for money. He had earlier filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in Jharkhand High Court against the businessman.
"The lawyer had demanded Rs 10 crore from the businessman to withdraw the PIL. He later reduced his demand to Rs 4 crore. After several negotiations, the lawyer finally agreed to settle the matter at Rs 1 crore,” the officer said.
“It seems that the arrested person had come here to collect the money. The seized amount is part of the demand he had made,” he added.
Kumar’s son was also with him when he was arrested.
The lawyer is known to have filed several public interest litigations over the years, one of which is reportedly against Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren for alleged irregularities in a mining case.
Complaints have been filed against him in various Jharkhand police stations for allegedly blackmailing people and duping people of lakhs of rupees.
Members associated with Advocates’ Association of the Jharkhand High Court, meanwhile, abstained from work on Monday in protest against the arrest.
