Complainant Demands Rs 1 Crore Extortion from Pune Man to Settle Atrocity Case Registered at Hinjawadi Police Station, FIR Registered
Reported by Varad Bhatkhande
Pune, 22nd July 2025: A threat of legal action can be a powerful tool for extortion, as a recent case from Pune reveals. A Hinjawadi resident was asked to pay Rs 1 crore in extortion, as the accused used an ongoing atrocity case as leverage, threatening defamation and serious legal consequences. Out of fear, the victim paid Rs 2 lakh to the accused.
In this case, Saurabh Suman (38, resident of Hinjawadi) filed a complaint at Kothrud Police Station. A case of extortion and criminal intimidation has been registered against Harshvardhan Chaudhary and Ajinkya Aghade (both residents of Kothrud). Chaudhary has been arrested, while Aghade is currently absconding.
According to police reports, on 1st July, a case under the Atrocities Act was filed against Suman at Hinjawadi Police Station. The complaint was lodged by Ramesh Ahire, who alleged that Suman made casteist remarks in their housing society’s WhatsApp group during a disagreement over stray dogs.
On 5th July, the accused Harshvardhan Chaudhary contacted Suman and asked to meet him in Bavdhan. He allegedly threatened Suman with 15 years of imprisonment under the atrocity case and demanded Rs 1 crore, claiming he had close ties with Ahire and could “settle” the matter. Fearing damage to his reputation and future, Suman initially paid Rs 1.5 lakh to Chaudhary. The next day, Chaudhary called again and took another Rs 50,000.
On 12th July, Chaudhary, now accompanied by Aghade, whom he introduced as a cyber and forensic expert, met Suman again. They demanded Rs 35 lakh within four days and threatened that if the amount was not paid, Ahire’s wife would file a false rape complaint against him. Chaudhary also claimed he had done this before, bought luxury cars with the extorted money, and was an expert at using such tactics. He warned Suman that if he didn’t pay, another atrocity case would be filed against him. Suman continued to receive threatening calls until he finally approached Kothrud Police and filed a complaint.
Police Sub-Inspector Mohan Chavan, who is investigating the case, told Punekar News, “The accused Chaudhary is in custody. We are searching for Aghade, who is absconding. Preliminary investigation has revealed that Chaudhary is notorious for such settlements and has done this multiple times before. We are investigating the matter further.”
Chaudhary’s History of Financial Fraud
Shockingly, Harshvardhan Chaudhary is a repeat offender. He was previously arrested for cheating several animal lovers by tricking them into investing in a fake Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre. Since 2023, he used social media to circulate fake government tenders and posed as an animal welfare activist. He collected lakhs of rupees from victims, including Rs 12 lakh from a Virar resident. The funds were transferred to his mother’s bank account, and multiple FIRs were registered across Mumbai. He was also arrested by the Mumbai Police in April 2025.
