4 booked over extortion, not paying bills at club in Indirapuram

Ghaziabad police filed an FIR against four men from a right-wing group for extortion and unpaid bills at a café, following a woman's complaint.

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police have registered an FIR against four men allegedly related to a right-wing organisation for allegedly demanding extortion and not paying up food bills at a club and café in Indirapuram, police said on Monday.

The step undertaken on Sunday followed a police complaint from a 30-year-old woman entrepreneur, who runs the facility at a mall in Indirapuram, said officials. (Representational image)

The step undertaken on Sunday followed a police complaint from a 30-year-old woman entrepreneur, who runs the facility at a mall in Indirapuram, said officials.

“The club and café operator in her complaint alleged that the men in different instances would come and eat, and leave without paying bills. In another incident, she alleged that they misbehaved with the staff and also hurled abuses. She has stated that the men demanded ₹50,000 monthly extortion from her. We have registered an FIR, and the suspects are from the Hindu Raksha Dal (HRD),” said Suryabali Maurya, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) of Indirapuram.

The FIR, seen by FIR, was filed under BNS sections 74 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 308(2) (extortion), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).

“They have been demanding money from us, and they also prepared videos of our club and tarnished its image by making these videos viral. They also verbally abused and threatened me, and I suspect that the men came armed to my club,” the woman said in the FIR.

Reacting over the incident, HRD chief Pinky Chaudhary, said “We will act strongly if the allegations against the men are found correct. Such an instance would not be tolerated. I have strictly asked members to abstain from any such acts. This would dent out outfit’s image.”

In the FIR, the woman has cited incidents taking place on August 26, August 30, and September 9.

An investigation is on and help of CCTVs is also being taken up as part of investigation, the ACP said.