Ludhiana: Tech savvy miscreants extort cash from truck driver through UPI

The locals nabbed the accused and handed them over to the Daresi Police; the police lodged an FIR against the accused, identified as Piyush Saluja, 23, of New Subhash Nagar and Karan, 24, of Swatantra Nagar

Tech savvy miscreants allegedly forced a truck driver to transfer ₹4,000 in their bank account by scanning the QR code of his UPI account, when the latter claimed to not possess any cash.

Tech savvy miscreants allegedly forced a truck driver to transfer ₹4,000 in their bank account by scanning the QR code of his UPI account, when the latter claimed to not possess any cash. (Getty images)

The accused forced the truck driver to transfer ₹20,000 more to their bank account following which he raised an alarm.

The locals nabbed the accused and handed them over to the Daresi Police. The police lodged an FIR against the accused, identified as Piyush Saluja, 23, of New Subhash Nagar and Karan, 24, of Swatantra Nagar.

The FIR has been lodged following the statement of truck driver Rahil of Haryana. The complainant stated that he had loaded some material in a truck from Kerala to deliver in Ludhiana.

When he reached near Basti chowk in Ludhiana, the accused intercepted his way and started accusing him of hitting and injuring one of their relatives on the way.

“When I said that I have not hit anyone, the accused flashed a sharp-edged weapon and asked me to hand over cash to them. When I said I was not carrying cash, the accused forced me to transfer cash in their bank account through UPI or they will kill me. I asked my brother in Haryana to transfer some money. Later, I transferred the money to the accused by scanning the QR code,” said the complainant.

“After receiving money the accused again started threatening me to transfer ₹20,000 more to their account and I raised the alarm following which the locals gathered there and nabbed the accused,” he added.

ASI Nirmal Singh, who is investigating the case, said that the accused Piyush used the UPI number of his father to receive the money.

A case under sections 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt.), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC has been lodged against the accused at police station Daresi.

The accused are jobless and indulged in crime to make some easy money. Karan is already facing trial in a case of snatching, police said.