MNS activists took out a march in support of Inspector Milind Gaikwad. (Photo: Pavan Khengre) MNS activists took out a march in support of Inspector Milind Gaikwad. (Photo: Pavan Khengre) Senior police inspector Milind Gaikwad of the Kondhwa police station has been transferred suddenly to the Preventive Crime Branch (PCB) of the Pune Police Commissionerate. Allegations are being made that Gaikwad has been transferred because an offence of extortion was lodged at the Kondhwa police station last week against local BJP MLA Yogesh Tilekar. Activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) took out a silent march to Kondhwa police station on Friday to protest Gaikwad’s transfer. MNS activists alleged that Gaikwad was transferred because he initiated action against MLA Yogesh Tilekar. Activists of Hamari Apni Party staged protests near the Pune Police Commissionerate claiming foul play in Gaikwad’s transfer. Pune Police Commissioner K Venkatesham, however, said that Gaikwad’s transfer was done for administrative purposes and it should not be given a political colour. MLA Tilekar, his brother Chetan and an aide Ganesh Kamthe were booked under sections 379, 427, 384 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), for allegedly demanding extortion money of Rs 50 lakh from director of a private company for allowing him to lay fiber optic cable in Kondhwa area. Activist Ravindra Barhate (55), a resident of Dhankawadi, working with the private company involved in this case, had lodged the first information report (FIR) at the Kondhwa police station on October 11. As per the complaint, Barhate works with Evisions Teleinfra Private Limited company. The company was laying optic fibre cable in Kondhwa area, which comes in Tilekar’s constituency. It is alleged that during August and September this year, Tilekar, his brother Chetan and aide Kamthe allegedly disrupted the work of laying cables being carried by the company. The complainant has alleged that the three suspects alleged demanded Rs 50 lakh from the director of the company to allow them continue the work. The complainant claims to have recorded phone calls between the suspects and the director of the company in this regard. Tilekar refuted all allegations against him, calling it a political conspiracy. Gaikwad left charge on Thursday. Meanwhile, videos of Kondhwa police station staff crying, while giving a farewell to him went viral on social media. For all the latest Pune News, download Indian Express App

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