5 held for shooting at businessman’s employee, demanding ₹2 crore

In the incident, one of the suspects entered a godown of a metal products showroom in Najafgarh around 9.30am and fired at a worker, identified as Sanjay Kumar. The bullet grazed past his hand, hitting the wall, following which Kumar raised the alarm

Five people were arrested by the anti-auto theft squad of Dwarka police for shooting and injuring a person in an extortion attempt on April 18, police said. The target was a dealer of aluminium items in Najafgarh in southwest Delhi and the suspects demanded ₹2 crore, claiming to be associated with jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana, police said.

The firing took place at a metal products godown around 9.30am on April 18. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Although police are verifying if they have links to Bawana, the suspects are alleged to have taken to crime based on videos of gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Neeraj Bawana, Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu, Kala Jatheri and Goldy Brar, police said.

“The five men used to watch videos of the gangsters available on the internet that inspired them to be like them. They wanted to earn quick and easy money through extortion. Of the five, three were previously involved in thefts and other crimes,” an AATS officer said.

Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said the during the incident, one of the suspects entered a godown of a metal products showroom in Najafgarh around 9.30am and fired at a worker, identified as Sanjay Kumar. The bullet grazed past his hand, hitting the wall, following which Kumar raised the alarm. The attacked fled on a scooter an associate was riding and waiting on, he said.

“While a case was being registered, the son of the businessman received a call demanding ₹2 crore as payment to a gangster and threatened him with dire consequences if the amount was not paid,” Singh said.

Investigators scanned CCTV cameras, identified the shooter as Sanni Shah and apprehended him and two co-conspirators Lakshy Bhardwaj and Nikhil Chinnu the next day. Their interrogation led to arrests of Shiv Prakash Shukla and Inderjeet Singh, who stole a scooter and phone for the crime, police said.

“Their interrogation revealed that the mobile phone was stolen solely for the purpose of making the extortion call. The SIM card in the phone was used to call the businessman’s son and demand ₹2 crore. All five are budding criminals, aged between 18 and 26. Shah is the main conspirator and the one who fired the bullet,” the AATS officer said.