Man held in Punjab for attempting to extort Rs 1 crore

Chandigarh(The Uttam Hindu): A 24-year-old man was arrested in Punjab for attempting to extort money from an automobile showroom owner by impersonating as the brother of foreign-based gangster Goldy Brar, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday. The arrest was made by the Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF).

The accused, identified as Lovejeet Singh, a resident of Faridkot, had demanded Rs 1 crore extortion money and issued death threats to the complainant and his family if the amount was not paid. DGP Yadav said a preliminary probe has revealed the accused used virtual numbers and social media applications to mask his identity and make extortion calls in an attempt to evade police detection.

While cautioning people to be wary of fake extortion calls, he said in many recent cases it has been observed that unknown criminals, without any links with any gang or gangster, are exploiting fear by falsely claiming such associations. "We appeal to the people to immediately inform the police whenever extortion calls are received so that the law can take its course," said the DGP.

Pertinently, three months ago, the AGTF busted a fake extortion racket being operated from Malaysia, targeting singers, businessmen, and affluent individuals across Punjab. The accused impersonated members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, using fake social media profiles to intimidate potential victims and their families to extort money. Sharing operation details, Additional Director General of Police (AGTF) Promod Ban said the AGTF had received a complaint regarding extortion and acting swiftly, police teams traced the origin of the calls through technical inputs and human intelligence, leading to identification of accused Lovejeet.

The latter was apprehended from Mohali, he said. The ADGP said further investigations are underway to uncover any additional links or crimes committed by the accused. Assistant Inspector General (AGTF) Gurmeet Chauhan said a preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused, Lovejeet, lured by social media and a desire for a lavish lifestyle, resorted to crime.

"He used virtual numbers and encrypted apps to mask his identity while making extortion calls in an attempt to evade police detention," he said.