Another RTI extortion case surfaces in Surat

Surat: Yet another case of extortion under the pretext of RTI has come to light in the city. This time, an individual named Amit Mehta allegedly visited an ongoing construction site at Haripura Soi Sheri, accused the builder of illegal construction, and extorted ₹20,000.

Builder Iqbal Abdulkarim Kasmani, a resident of Ungam Gabheni Road and engaged in the construction business, has filed a complaint against Amit Mehta at the Lalgate police station.

According to the complaint, in November 2024, construction work was underway at property no. 5/1303 in Haripura Soi Sheri when Amit Dheeraj Mehta (a resident of Satyam Apartment, Rander Road) arrived at the site. He allegedly accused the builder of illegal construction and threatened to file RTI applications with the Surat Municipal Corporation to have the structure demolished. He then demanded ₹50,000 to allow the construction to continue and forcibly extorted ₹20,000.

Following the complaint by builder Iqbal Kasmani, the Lalgate police have registered a case of extortion against Amit Mehta and are investigating the matter. Notably, multiple complaints have been filed against individuals exploiting the RTI process to extort money from construction workers in Surat. The latest complaint at Lalgate police station adds to the growing list of such cases. DeshGujarat