Two held for making extortion calls to Congress MLA
Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said that they received a complaint following which a case was registered at the DLF Phase 2 police station under Section 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)
Police on Sunday arrested two suspects from Jhajjar for allegedly trying to extort ₹1 lakh from a Congress member of legislative assembly (MLA) from Badli, who had also alleged that he received a threat call from a gangster from an international number on Friday.
Two held for making extortion calls to Congress MLA
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Police said that it was the second time that MLA Kuldeep Vats had received threats from unidentified international numbers.
Earlier on July 10, police booked five unidentified men for allegedly barging into Vat’s house in Pataudi. The suspects also allegedly threatened to kill him and assaulted his cook.
Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said that they received a complaint following which a case was registered at the DLF Phase 2 police station under Section 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
“We formed teams and started conducting an investigation based on technical and human intelligence. A task was given to the crime unit of Sector 31 who traced the caller to Silana village in Jhajjar,” ACP Sangwan said.
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ACP Sangwan added that a team led by inspector Anand Kumar conducted a raid in Silana village and arrested the two suspects.
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ACP Sangwan added that a team led by inspector Anand Kumar conducted a raid in Silana village and arrested the two suspects.
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The two suspects have been identified as Manjeet Kumar (22), and Vikram Singh (22), both residents of Silana.
Police said during primary interrogation, Kumar revealed that Singh, who happens to be his closest friend, had provided him with the mobile number of the MLA, following which he had made several extortion calls.
ACP Sangwan said on August 25, three calls from international mobile numbers were received by the MLA. “Out of these three calls, only one was attended by the victim. The caller demanded ₹1 lakh per month from the Vats. During investigation, it was found that voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls were made by using an Android application. Also, it was revealed that Kumar was using a spoof application called IndyCall in his phone due to which an international mobile number was getting displayed,” he said.
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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