Desperate for money, man tries to extort Delhi businessman

Delhi Police arrested a man for attempting to extort ?2 crore from a builder in Greater Kailash. The suspect, who had undergone heart bypass surgery, needed money for medical expenses.

A 41-year-old man was arrested for trying to extort ₹2 crore from a builder based in south Delhi’s Greater Kailash, said the Delhi Police on Friday. Police said the suspect had undergone a heart bypass surgery and needed money for medical expenses.

Police arrested the suspect after tracing the location of his extortion call to Mehrauli. (Representative image)

Chandan Chowdhary, deputy commissioner of police (south), identified the suspect as Mehrauli resident Bhupender and said that a case was registered under charges of criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication, at Greater Kailash police station.

Police said that the victim, a businessman based in Greater Kailash, informed them that he received a text message from an anonymous number around 2.36pm on May 10. The message sender threatened him saying that he would “become news” if he did not pay ₹2 crore by evening. The message also stated that the businessman would have to confirm regarding the same by 4pm that day.

When the builder refused to give in, he received another message at 5.05pm telling him that since there was no response, the businessman would be responsible for whatever fate befell him. The builder approached the police, and an FIR was filed.

“The suspect’s location was later traced to Mehrauli on Wednesday, after which he was arrested,” the DCP said.

Upon recovery of a phone and a SIM card, the police added the section for extortion in the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“Bhupender told police that his family was in debt for the last three years. He had undergone a bypass surgery and needed money to pay his medical bills. He knew about the builder’s wealth and found his number to extort him,” the DCP said.