Mumbai: Anti-Corruption Bureau Court Accepts Closure Report In Extortion Case Against Colaba Businessman

Mumbai: Anti-Corruption Bureau Court Accepts Closure Report In Extortion Case Against Colaba Businessman | Representative Photo

Mumbai: A special Anti-Corruption Bureau court has accepted the closure report submitted by the ACB in the extortion case registered against Colaba-based businessman and hotelier Jitendra Navlani, alias Jitu.

On March 8, 2022, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had alleged that Navlani, along with three Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, was running an extortion racket targeting businessmen from the state. On May 5, 2022, the ACB filed a case under sections 7 (A) and 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and charged Navlani with extorting businessmen.

The agency had received a complaint that, from 2015 to 2021, Navlani took Rs58.96 crore in extortion from businessmen. The hotelier siphoned off the money from the targets, saying he had good contacts in the ED, the complaint said.

During the investigation, the agency recorded statement of these businessmen. The businessmen had also filed affidavits before the Bombay High Court in the proceedings initiated by Navlani against the registration of the case.

The agency in its closure report said that these transactions were regular business dealings between these 39 private companies and Navlani. It said no evidence had been found to suggest that Navlani misused his position or influence to obtain funds illegally.

The agency further said that the investigation also did not find any role of any officer of the ED or any connection with Navlani.

Navlani owns Dirty Buns pub in south Mumbai and is connected to another pub in Lower Parel. It is being said that he has close relations with IAS, IPS officers and also politicians. His name cropped up in the media for the first time after the Gamdevi police registered an FIR against him for allegedly obstructing a cop from performing his duty.

It was in 2019 when Inspector Anup Dange tried to act against Navlani’s pub as it was found to be operating beyond permissible hours. But he reportedly refused to shut the pub claiming that he had good relations with former top cop Param Bir Singh.

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