Speaking to Newsline, Kesarwani said, “Our family has been running the business of supplying raw cloth material for the past 18 years in the area. My father usually sits in the shop while I am out buying goods and for business visits. On February 12 some men from the Bhiwandi Crime Branch came to the shop to enquire about my whereabouts. When my father told them that I was out and that I would return later in the night they took a visiting card from the shop with my cellphone number on it and left.”

According to Kesarwani, the next day, he received a call from the Bhiwandi Crime Branch officers who told him to meet them at their office. “After the phone call, I got confused as to why they wanted to meet me as I don’t have any criminal record. However, when I went to the Bhiwandi Crime Branch office, they started abusing me and one of the officials snatched Rs 32,000 from my pocket. When I protested they started hitting me with their fists. One of the officers also hit me on my ear with such force that I sustained internal injuries,” said Kesarwani.

As per Kesarwani, the cops threatened to frame him in a robbery case and consequent imprisonment if he divulged the incident to anyone. “Immediately after the incident, I went to a government hospital and got a medical certificate from the doctors who said that I have developed a swelling and internal injuries in my ear.” Kesarwani alleged that the other traders in the area have suffered too but no one has dared to complain as they fear being framed in a fake case.