Panchkula cop among three held for running extortion ring

Sector-2 Police Post in-charge, three others extorted money from victims after threatening to implicate them in false cases; cop flees after arrest

Police have unearthed an extortion racket being run by an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and three businessmen in and around Panchkula.

Two of the accused in the custody of Panchkula police. (HT Photo)

Three of the four gang members – ASI Gurmez Singh, in-charge of Sector-2 Police Post, Panchkula; Anil Bhalla, a resident of Sector 2, and Narendra Khillan of Sector 10 – have been arrested.

However, the ASI managed to escape from police custody on Friday. Akash Bhalla, son of Anil Bhalla, a financier, who is the gang’s kingpin, is also absconding.

Sharing details, Panchkula commissioner of police Hanif Qureshi said the accused would offer loans to unsuspecting people and instead extort money by threatening to implicate them in false cases.

In one such case, the victim, Sanjeev Garg of Panchkula, told the police that Anil took ₹45 lakh from him to facilitate a loan for foreign travel. But he didn’t arrange the loan. When Garg demanded his money back, Anil threatened to kill him and implicate him in a false case, Garg alleged.

Probe revealed that with the ASI’s help, Anil did get a false case registered against Garg on April 18 and demanded cash and luxury cars to let him off.

Through further investigation, ACP Vijay Nehra established that Anil, in connivance with the ASI, used to blackmail people by getting their signatures on blank papers for loans and later usurped their property, money and cars by threatening to implicate them in false cases.

Since 2016-17, around 180 such victims, primarily from Panchkula, Mohali, Ambala and Fatehabad, have approached the police.

Three cops suspended, SIT formed

After the accused ASI, Gurmez Singh, absconded from police custody “with the help of head constable Rajbir Singh and Naresh Kumar”, all three were placed under suspension and a separate case was registered against them, the commissioner of police said.

“A special investigation team has also been constituted under ACP Vijay Kumar Nehra to probe the involvement of other policemen and people in the racket,” Qureshi said.