Security guard held for demanding ₹30 lakh extortion from Delhi businessman

Mahavir Sharma, a resident of west Delhi's Pitampura, tried to extort money from the businessman, who was his former employer, to take revenge after he was removed from his job for indiscipline about six months ago, they said.

A 29-year-old security guard was arrested for allegedly demanding extortion of ₹30 lakh from a businessman using jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana's name, police said on Monday.

Police said in August this year, Shrama sent two handwritten letters through courier to the office of the businessman in Rohini demanding money. (HT File)

Mahavir Sharma, a resident of west Delhi's Pitampura, tried to extort money from the businessman, who was his former employer, to take revenge after he was removed from his job for indiscipline about six months ago, they said.

Police said in August this year, Shrama sent two handwritten letters through courier to the office of the businessman in Rohini demanding money.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Pranav Tayal said a handwritten letter was received in the office of the businessman on August 5 through courier. The letter contained a demand of ₹30 lakh as extortion in the name of gangster Neeraj Bawana.

The matter was reported to police on August 14 at south Rohini police station, based on which an FIR was registered in the matter.

During the probe, the courier service was identified and CCTV footage of the area was scanned to identify the accused. Employees who were removed from their jobs like Sharma were also questioned, police officials said.

The accused sent another letter demanding extortion on October 30 and the details of the letter helped the investigation team in identifying the extortionist, they said.

"Our team identified the extortionist and traced his location in Shalimar Bagh from where he was arrested while he was performing duty of an armed guard at a bank in the area" the DCP said

"He confessed his involvement in the case and disclosed that he had worked as a guard in the office of the complainant company and was removed from there on grounds of indiscipline about six months ago," he said.

Sharma, who hails from Alwar in Rajasthan, is living in Delhi since 2008 and has been working as a security guard at various establishments. In 2019, he obtained gun licence from Delhi, police said.