A 35-year-old man was been arrested for making extortion calls to a businessman in Gurugram by posing as a gangster lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail, police officers said on Sunday. A juvenile who helped the suspect has been detained, they added.
According to the police, the businessman, who deals in the sale and purchase of second-hand cars, filed a complaint saying that he had received a threatening call on his mobile phone from an unknown number on Thursday night. (Representational image)
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The suspect was identified as Mahavir Singh.
According to the police, the businessman, who deals in the sale and purchase of second-hand cars, filed a complaint saying that he had received a threatening call on his mobile phone from an unknown number on Thursday night. The caller had introduced himself as a gangster lodged in Tihar jail and threatened to shoot and kill him if he was not paid.
Based on the complaint, a first information report was registered against the suspects at the Gurugram Pataudi police station on Friday evening under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death grievous hurt) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).
The suspects were tracked down and apprehended on Saturday. Investigators said that Singh had bought a pickup truck from the complainant for ₹30,000. However, Singh returned the vehicle to the complainant, who refunded his money. “Singh learned that the complainant owned expensive cars. So Singh decided to extort money from the complainant by posing as a gangster and involved a juvenile in the plan,” said Varun Dahiya, assistant commissioner of police (crime).
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The juvenile prepared a virtual number and called the complainant, posing as an infamous gangster, said ACP Dahiya. “We have recovered the mobile phone used in the crime. Neither of the suspects had a connection to any gangster,” he added.
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The juvenile prepared a virtual number and called the complainant, posing as an infamous gangster, said ACP Dahiya. “We have recovered the mobile phone used in the crime. Neither of the suspects had a connection to any gangster,” he added.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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