Posing as ASI, man makes extortion call to bakery owner in Ludhiana

Inspector Balwinder Kaur, SHO at Division number 6 police station, Ludhiana, said it is suspected that the accused used the name of an ASI to threaten the bakery owner; it is a new strategy of the criminals

The Division number 6 police have booked an unidentified caller for posing as a cop and making extortion call to a bakery owner, threatening to kill him and his 12-year-old son.

The complainant, who requested anonymity, said that on Saturday, he was present at his bakery along with his son when he received a WhatsApp Call from an unknown number. (iStock)

The complainant, who requested anonymity, said that on Saturday, he was present at his bakery along with his son when he received a WhatsApp Call from an unknown number. The caller had introduced himself as ASI Gurdeep Singh.

He asked about the location of his 12-year-old son and demanded extortion money from him. The complainant stated that he disconnected the phone and informed the police.

Inspector Balwinder Kaur, SHO at Division number 6 police station, said that it is suspected that the accused used the name of an ASI to threaten the bakery owner. It is a new strategy of the criminals.

Kaur said that the criminals question people about their children and if their children are not around, the callers would claim that they have kidnapped them and extort money.

The SHO said that the phone number used to make the extortion call was a virtual number which cannot be traced.

The Division number 6 police have lodged an FIR against unidentified accused under sections 384 (extortion), 506 (Criminal intimidation) and 511 (attempt to commit an offence) of the IPC against unidentified accused.