Man arrested for threat call to Gurugram businessman

Man arrested for extorting businessman in Gurugram by posing as Tihar jail gangster. Juvenile accomplice detained. Suspects tracked and apprehended.

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)

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).

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.