New Delhi: Delhi Police Crime Branch recently busted an extortion racket and foiled a plot to intimidate businessmen by arranging shooters to fire at their residences and office premises. Two men accused of demanding crores of rupees in the name of gangster Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu were arrested.
The case came to light after an FIR was registered at Bindapur police station on Sept 6 under Section 308(4) (extortion) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, following an alleged demand of Rs 3 crore from a businessman. Arora was apprehended from Sector 11, Dwarka, on Sept 23, while Gahlot was apprehended the next day, allegedly at Arora’s instance, also from Dwarka.
Police said the suspects had made extortion calls to several businessmen in Dwarka. Arora and Gahlot were allegedly arranging shooters to fire at the residences and business establishments of their targets with the intention of creating fear and compelling them to pay the extortion money, according to Crime Branch. Police said a person who had recently been deported from Canada allegedly assisted the gang in creating the virtual numbers. During interrogation, police said both men disclosed their involvement in the Bindapur extortion case. Arora told them that he had suffered substantial losses while dabbling in cricket betting, according to police.
What raised concern among investigators was the next stage of the plan. Investigators also claimed to have found that virtual mobile numbers (operating over the internet via the cloud) were being created through a mobile app using fake email IDs to facilitate the threatening calls and conceal the identities of those making them. His role and the possible involvement of other associates are being investigated. Gahlot was also in debt. Police claimed that the two subsequently planned to extort money from businessmen by threatening them in the name of Sangwan. Gahlot allegedly provided Arora with mobile numbers of prospective targets and arranged a new phone for making the calls. Arora allegedly threatened three targets during the last two weeks of Aug, demanding extortion money from them and warning them of serious consequences if the demands were not met.
Crime Branch said technical surveillance was mounted on the mobile number used to issue threats to one of the businessmen. Analysis of the technical inputs led investigators to a number being used by Gahlot. Further surveillance and manual investigation helped cops establish the identity and whereabouts of the suspects.