RIL extortion case: Two accused taken to Mumbai

Two persons accused of extorting money from Reliance Industries for withdrawing their petition filed in Bombay High Court opposing the company's merger with group firm Reliance Petroleum, have been taken to Mumbai for investigation, police officials said.

Jayendra Shah and his associate Dilip Motwani are in police custody till May 28.

"The duo had revealed the name of one of their associates during interrogation. So to investigate further they have been taken to Mumbai where they can lead us to the others involved in the conspiracy," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Abhay Chudasama told PTI.

He said the two will be produced in a court in Mumbai as their police custody ends on Friday. According to the police, Shah and Motwani were trying to obstruct the merger which was in the interest of shareholders, and hamper the progress of the company, India's largest private sector entity.

Also, is it has been alleged that Shah and Motwani had called up RIL officials and demanded Rs 50 lakh to withdraw their petition opposing the RIL-RPL merger.

However, Shah and Motwani's lawyers said it was a conspiracy against their clients and it were the RIL officials who had contacted them first to settle the matter.