Navi Mumbai, 3rd January 2026: In a bizarre twist straight out of a dark comedy, Navi Mumbai Police have arrested a 31-year-old man, Parameshwar Prakash Singh, aka Monu, who posed as a journalist to run an elaborate extortion racket at the city’s largest marketplace, APMC. What started as social media “reporting” ended up as monthly blackmail collections from unsuspecting vendors.
According to police, Singh ran a social media handle called “NMT News” under the guise of investigative journalism. He targeted street vendors, small traders, and food stall owners, photographing or filming them for alleged violations. Instead of publishing for public awareness, Singh sent letters to local municipal authorities and police departments to pressure for action. Once the fear of official crackdowns set in, he visited the victims with a simple proposal: pay him a monthly “settlement” to avoid trouble. In this way, he reportedly extorted dozens of vendors.
The story takes a darker yet almost comical turn: Singh didn’t just intimidate ordinary citizens he tried to baffle the police too. Claiming journalistic immunity, he posted threats on social media, taunting officers with messages like, “I’m a journalist, you can’t touch me,” attempting to derail investigations and influence outcomes.
A deeper probe revealed that Singh hails from Uttar Pradesh and already had a criminal record there. Ironically, in one court case in Mirzapur, he signed a sworn statement claiming he was just a labourer, not a journalist. Yet in Navi Mumbai, he revived his “press credentials” to run the extortion racket.
The operation finally came to an end when a local puri-vendor, fed up with threats, filed a complaint. Acting swiftly, Navi Mumbai Police, under Commissioner Milind Bharambe and Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Dahane, launched a sting operation. Senior Inspector Ajay Shinde and Assistant Inspector Nilesh Patil led the team that nabbed Singh Tuesday night. Police have confirmed that Singh’s brother was also involved and is currently being sought.
What’s left now is a lesson for everyone: if you’re going to threaten vendors, maybe don’t upgrade yourself from laborer to “Pulitzer-worthy journalist” mid-crime spree.
