Ludhiana: Jagraon entrepreneur gets ₹3-crore extortion letter

The sender of the letter, found in the veranda near the main gate of the family’s house, gave a month for payment. The police think it may be a prank as a seasoned criminal won’t drop a letter in the target’s house.

A sheller owner in Jagraon has received an extortion letter for ₹3 crore, prompting the police to mark a probe. The sender of the letter, found in the veranda near the main gate of the family’s house, gave a month for payment.

According to the police, efforts are being made to identify the sender of the letter.

The Jagraon police have registered an FIR against the unidentified accused while keeping the victim’s identity confidential. According to the police, the sheller owner operates a business with four units in the area. A family member discovered the envelope containing the letter, which not only detailed the locations and worth of the sheller units but also demanded ₹3 crore. The family immediately reported the incident to the police.

Police officials scanned CCTV footage from outside the residence, identifying a potential suspect captured near the premises around 5 am. Due to poor visibility amid dense smog, it remains unclear whether or not that individual dropped the letter.

Deputy superintendent of police (investigation), Ludhiana rural, Guriqbal Singh stated, “The investigation suggests this could be either a prank or the act of someone known to the family. Dropping a letter in the house is an unusual method for a seasoned criminal, who will typically avoid such direct involvement.”

Regarding the CCTV findings, Singh added, “The man seen in the footage is being traced through additional CCTV recordings in the area. The letter itself is peculiar, written in broken phrases with limited details, such as just mentioning ‘one month’ and ‘ ₹3 crore.’ This raises suspicion that it may be the work of an acquaintance or a prank rather than a professional extortion attempt.”

He added that the investigation is on. The police will leave no stone unturned to identify the sender and ensure the safety of the victim’s family.