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Mohali: Constable among two held for extorting money from scrap dealer
The accused were identified as constable Mohinderpal Singh, who is deployed in the security cover of a senior Punjab Police officer in Chandigarh, and Sandeep Singh of Mauli village; another accused, Kala of Raipur village, is absconding, said Mohali police
Sohana police on Wednesday arrested two people, including a Punjab Police constable, for allegedly extorting money from a scrap dealer after threatening him in the name of Sohana station house officer (SHO).
The accused were identified as constable Mohinderpal Singh, who is deployed in the security cover of a senior Punjab Police officer in Chandigarh, and Sandeep Singh of Mauli village. Another accused, Kala of Raipur village, is absconding.
According to police, the trio was seeking money from scrap dealer Pushpinder, alias Munna, a native of Uttar Pradesh and currently residing in Bakarpur village, Sohana, in the name of the SHO.
Pushpinder told police that he received a phone call from Mohinderpal on Tuesday, claiming that he was posted at the Sohana police station. Mohinderpal threatened him with a raid at his scrap shop, accusing him of running an illegal business. He offered a settlement with the Sohana SHO for ₹20,000 per month. He further sought ₹10,000 for settling ongoing complaints against him. Later, he came to his shop with another man and took ₹5,000. He called him again on Wednesday and asked him to reach the Sector 80 traffic signal with the remaining money, the complainant alleged.
There, the accused again took ₹10,000 from him and threatened him to pay ₹20,000 every month.
He later learnt that Mohinderpal was not posted at the Sohana police station and his accomplice, Sandeep Singh, was also not in the police. Kala, along with his accomplices, extorted money from other scrap dealers also in the name of the Sohana SHO, Pushpinder alleged.
“We will soon nab Kala, who was earlier booked in a theft case. The arrested duo was produced before a court on Thursday and sent to one-day police remand for interrogation,” a police officer said.
Sohana police have registered a case under Sections 419 (cheating by personation), 384 (extortion), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, besides relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
