Ludhiana: Goldsmith, realtor threatened in separate extortion calls
A goldsmith received a death threat and ₹1 crore extortion demand from a caller claiming to be linked to the Amrit Dalam group; police are investigating.
A goldsmith from Rahon Road, Sachin Verma of Vishwakarma Nagar, allegedly received a death threat and an extortion call demanding ₹1 crore from a caller claiming to be a member of the Amrit Dalam group, police said. Division Number 7 police have registered a case following his complaint.
According to Verma, who runs a family jewellery business on Rahon Road, he received a WhatsApp call early on Friday from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as a member of the Amrit Dalam group and demanded ₹1 crore, warning that Verma would be killed if he failed to arrange the money quickly.
Fearing the threat, Verma approached Division Number 7 police station and lodged a police complaint following which an FIR was lodged under Sections 308(4) and 351(2) of the BNS against the group.
Investigating officer Randhir Singh said the matter is being taken seriously and police teams are probing the source of the call. “An investigation is underway and the case will be solved soon,” he said. Authorities have also begun technical surveillance to trace the caller and determine whether the threat is linked to organised gang activity in the region.
The Amrit Dalam group, an overseas-based criminal network linked to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, is known in Punjab for serious crimes including extortion, contract killings and smuggling of weapons, police said.
In a similar incident, a Jagraon-based realtor received an extortion call from an unidentified person claiming to be Balwinder Singh, alias Dony Bal, who demanded ₹2 crore from him, police said. The complainant, Mandeep Singh Grewal of Agwar Gujjran village, told police that he noticed two missed WhatsApp calls and a voice message on December 3.
In the message, the caller claimed to have complete information about Grewal’s family and children, threatening to harm them if the money was not paid. Following the complaint, Jagraon police lodged an FIR under Sections 308(2) and 351(2) of the BNS and initiated an investigation.
