CHENNAI: Two small-time rowdies allegedly engaged in extorting money at knife-point from auto rickshaw drivers near Perambur Railway station to bail out their 'boss', cooling his heels at Puzhal prison, were arrested on Monday night.
Shiek (28) of Madhavaram and Suresh (34) of Vyasarpadi along with two others were demanding money from the auto rickshaw drivers and threatened them not to inform the police. "One of the driver, who managed to escape, alerted the police. Within minutes, police from Sembiyam rushed to the spot and nabbed the duo while the others fled the scene," police said.
During interrogation, the duo confessed that they have been extorting money from drivers and other shop keepers for the last two months. But on Monday, they were demanding money to bail out their boss - Sabha alias Sebastian (28), a notorious history-sheeter of Vyasarpadi, who was remanded to judicial custody last month.
"Sebastian, was arrested by the Kodungaiyur police in January in connection with an extortion case. He is also facing many cases including murder, waylaying, assault filed by the Thiru-vi-ka Nagar, Kodungaiyur, Sembiyam and M K B Nagar police," police added.
"Sebastian's associates- Suresh and Shiek and two others who work as auto drivers did not have money to pay a lawyer to release him on bail which would up to `20,000. Hence, they threatened auto drivers from Moolakadai, Madhavaram, Kodungaiyur, and Perambur at knife point," police said.
A case has been registered by the Sembiyam police and the duo was remanded to judicial custody.