Ghaziabad: Two arrested for extorting gold from minor boy over iPhone

Police said the minor, a Class 9 student, was friendly to the three suspects (Shailesh, Divyam and Arnab), and the trio allegedly planned the extortion

Ghaziabad: Two people were arrested on Thursday for allegedly extorting gold jewellery worth ₹8 lakhs from a 14-year-old boy in Modinagar on the pretext of getting him an iPhone, said officers, adding that one more suspect and a jeweller are on the run.

The three suspects had extorted four gold bangles, two gold earrings, and one gold nose pin from the boy. Police have recovered the bangles, one earring, and one nose pin from the suspects, while other items were sold to the jeweller, officers said. (Representational image)

Following a police complaint filed by the boy’s family at the Modinagar police station, a first information report was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 308 (5) (extortion) and 351 (3) (criminal intimidation) against the suspects on Wednesday.

Police identified the two arrested suspects as Shailesh Kumar, 26, a bouncer, and Divyam Kumar, 18, a BCA student and the two absconding suspects as Arnab Kumar, and Abhishek, the jeweller, said officers.

Police said the minor, a Class 9 student, was friendly to the three suspects (Shailesh, Divyam and Arnab), and the trio allegedly planned the extortion.

“During interactions, the minor showed eagerness to have an iPhone. The suspects said that they could provide it but asked the boy to bring some jewellery from his house. Initially, he brought two gold rings and gave them. They got him an iPhone in return but took it back some days later. Later, they told the boy that there was some police case in connection with the iPhone, and frightened him,” said assistant commissioner of police (ACP) (Modinagar circle) Gyan Prakash Rai.

“Later, they started extorting jewellery items from him after regular intervals since April. The jewellery is estimated around ₹8 lakhs. The suspects also sold the ornaments to a jeweller from Bhojpur. The jeweller (Abhishek) and one suspect (Arnab) are wanted in the case and will be arrested soon,” the ACP added.

The three suspects had extorted four gold bangles, two gold earrings, and one gold nose pin from the boy. Police have recovered the bangles, one earring, and one nose pin from the suspects, while other items were sold to the jeweller, officers said.