Another ex-Ajnala MLA alleges extortion calls, FIR registered

According to police, the Congress leader, who has represented Ajnala segment in the Punjab assembly, received the alleged threat calls via WhatsApp

In third such incident in Amritsar district within a week, former state legislator Harpartap Singh on Thursday alleged receiving extortion calls. A case has been registered.

In third such incident in Amritsar district within a week, former state legislator Harpartap Singh on Thursday alleged receiving extortion calls.

According to police, the Congress leader, who has represented Ajnala segment in the Punjab assembly, received the alleged threat calls via WhatsApp. “Some unidentified persons allegedly called the former MLA and asked him to pay ₹10 lakh. We are investigating the case,” said a senior official, privy to the case.

A case under Sections 387 (putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at the Kambo police station.

Singh is the third former MLA from Amritsar district to have received such extortion calls. On Wednesday, the Amritsar City police had registered a case after Congress leader and former deputy chief minister OP Soni made similar allegations. Last week, another FIR was registered on the complaint of Amarpal Singh Bony, a former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA from Ajnala.

There has been a number of such threat calls or messages reported by politicians, businessmen and even other professionals after singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder on May 29. The callers often identify them as aides of the gangsters involved in the killing.