₹1-crore extortion case: Dismissed SI denied bail

Posted as additional station house officer (SHO) at the Sector 39 police station before his dismissal, Phogat had remained on the run for three months, before surrendering in court in November 2023; he has been behind the bars ever since

A local court on Thursday denied bail to dismissed sub-inspector (SI) Naveen Phogat, who is accused of kidnapping a Bathinda-based businessman and extorting ₹1.01 crore from him by threatening to kill him in August 2023.

The accused cop’s bail plea was listed before the court of additional district and sessions judge Ashwani Kumar on Thursday, but was turned down. The detailed order is not out yet. (HT Photo)

Posted as additional station house officer (SHO) at the Sector 39 police station before his dismissal, Phogat had remained on the run for three months, before surrendering in court in November 2023. He has been behind the bars ever since.

His bail plea was listed before the court of additional district and sessions judge Ashwani Kumar on Thursday, but was turned down. The detailed order is not out yet.

As per the victim, Sanjay Goyal, who deals in wholesale of split chickpeas (chana dal) in Bathinda, he was called to Chandigarh on August 4 to exchange ₹2,000 currency notes at a profit of 5%.

When he brought ₹1.01 crore to Chandigarh on the insistence of his friend, Sarvesh, who runs a money exchange business in Bathinda, the accused extorted the amount by faking a raid in Sector 40.

SI Phogat, along with other accused, allegedly threatened to kill him and implicate him in false arms and drugs cases, following which, on August 5, he had lodged a complaint at the Sector 39 police station, where the SI was posted.

At the station, Goyal had run into Phogat, who had returned ₹75 lakh to him in exchange for maintaining silence, before escaping from the station.

All accused are facing a case of extortion, kidnapping, cheating, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.