Ludhiana: Bid to extort money from bizmen, 2 booked

The accused have been identified as Maan Singh, a resident of Basant Nagar, and Jai Prakash Pandey, a resident of Giaspura, Ludhiana

The Sahnewal police have registered a case against two men for allegedly trying to blackmail and extort money from small-scale industrialists by threatening to defame them through false complaints. The accused have been identified as Maan Singh, a resident of Basant Nagar, and Jai Prakash Pandey, a resident of Giaspura, Ludhiana.

Police said that a manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, who are currently absconding. (HT Photo)

Complainant Hardip Singh, a resident of Industrial Area-B, Ludhiana, runs a firm at street number 1, Shanti Nagar, Giaspura. In his complaint, Hardip alleged that the accused formed a gang that targets owners of small-scale industrial units. They allegedly file false complaints against them and later demand hefty sums of money in exchange for withdrawing those complaints.

He further stated that accused Jai Prakash Pandey introduced himself as a journalist associated with a web channel and threatened to defame him by airing fabricated news about supposed violations committed by him, which, he warned, could lead to departmental action. The complainant accused Pandey and his associates of acting in criminal conspiracy to blackmail and extort businessmen.

Based on the complaint, the police have registered an FIR under Sections 308(6) (extortion, specifically by threatening to accuse someone of a serious crime), 351(1) (criminal intimidation), 351(3) (criminal intimidation when the threat involves causing death, grievous hurt, or destroying property by fire), 62 (attempting to commit an offence ), 3(5) (common Intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Sahnewal police station.

Sub-inspector Jaspreet Singh, who is investigating the case, said that a manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, who are currently absconding.