Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) youth leader Shravan Joshi and his associate Sampat Chaudhary have been apprehended by Surat Police for purportedly extorting money from ration shop owners. Both individuals are currently under police custody and are undergoing interrogation regarding the accusations.
Shravan Joshi, the AAP youth wing’s general secretary, was taken into custody following a complaint by a ration shop owner in Surat’s Limbayat area. The complaint alleged that Joshi and Chaudhary coerced the owner with ‘fake’ videos, demanding money and threatening to tarnish his reputation and revoke his license.
The duo allegedly extorted Rs 1 lakh from the shop owner, who reported the incident to the police. Investigations are ongoing to determine if others were involved in the extortion scheme.
Reports suggest that Shravan Joshi would visit government-run ration shops, record videos of ration distribution, and post them on social media, accusing the shops of providing inadequate rations. Subsequently, Sampat Chaudhary would demand monthly payments from the shopkeepers, escalating to a lump sum agreement of Rs 3.5 lakh.
After the shop owner’s complaint, Surat Police arrested both Joshi and Chaudhary. DCP Rajdeep Singh Nakum disclosed that the accused individuals would intimidate shopkeepers by posting videos showing discrepancies in ration distribution on Facebook. Joshi, identified as a cloth merchant associated with AAP, is currently under investigation, with the possibility of more individuals being involved.
