Srinagar: BJP leader among two arrested for extortion

Senior BJP leader Mudasir Wani and another person have been arrested by police for demanding money to release a person from detention. Wani is the vice-president of the Baramulla BJP unit.

Police on Tuesday arrested senior BJP leader along with another person for demanding money to get a person released from the Public Safety Act.

The police in a statement said on July 3, Faisal Bashir Saleh of Kanlibagh Baramulla approached Baramulla police station along with a written application stating that his father Bashir Ahmad Saleh who was detained under the PSA since 2022, two persons — Mudasir Ahmad Wani of Sangri Baramulla and Yasir Rashid Rather of Malpora Sheeri — claiming to be affiliated with a political party approached their family to get his father released from the custody and demanded ₹1 lakh.

The BJP leader has been identified as Mudasir Wani, vice-president, Baramulla BJP unit.

The police in a statement said on July 3, Faisal Bashir Saleh of Kanlibagh Baramulla approached Baramulla police station along with a written application stating that his father Bashir Ahmad Saleh who was detained under the PSA since 2022, two persons — Mudasir Ahmad Wani of Sangri Baramulla and Yasir Rashid Rather of Malpora Sheeri — claiming to be affiliated with a political party approached their family to get his father released from the custody and demanded ₹1 lakh.

“Owning to poor financial condition, the family couldn’t give them money. Meanwhile father of the applicant got released after quashing of thePSA and both the accused repeatedly approached them for cash. They also warned of getting his father re-detained. The complainant somehow managed ₹10,000 but the accused kept demanding ₹1 lakh,” said the police statement.

The police said a case has been registered against the duo and investigation set into motion. Mudasir Wani has been organising programmes of BJP in Baramulla and is a protected person.