The Delhi Police busted an extortion racket and arrested three men for allegedly extorting transporters and animal traders by posing as animal welfare enforcers, misusing the name of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and threatening the traders with firearms.
Three accused — Ravinder Sharma (47), Pawan Kumar (56), and Mustaq Ali (50) — were arrested on Wednesday. According to police, the trio are active members of the “Pawan gang” and operated a well-organised extortion gang in and around the Ghazipur Mandi with five to six more gang members.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Harsh Indora said the gang members posed as animal welfare enforcers or vigilantes and used the threat of SPCA action to extort money from traders transporting livestock.
“Inputs were received regarding Ravinder’s movement in the Najafgarh–Dwarka area. A trap was laid at Kakrola Nala Road, and he was held in a Swift car on Wednesday with a country-made pistol,” DCP Indora said.
Following Ravinder’s interrogation, police said they arrested Pawan Kumar, identified as the alleged kingpin. He was also held with a single-shot pistol. Their associate, Mustaq Ali, was later apprehended with another loaded pistol. Police said Mustaq sourced the firearms from Mewat and supplied them to the gang.
“The gang systematically extorted money from animal traders by invoking the fear of SPCA action. The accused would block vehicles transporting livestock, confront the traders at gunpoint, and threaten to report them unless they paid bribes” said the DCP.
{{/usCountry}}“The gang systematically extorted money from animal traders by invoking the fear of SPCA action. The accused would block vehicles transporting livestock, confront the traders at gunpoint, and threaten to report them unless they paid bribes” said the DCP.
{{/usCountry}}Police said that in many cases, money was collected via online transfers or forced payments through mobile banking apps. If the traders resisted, the accused would allegedly vandalise their vehicles or transfer money using the victims’ phones.
During probe, police said they received multiple complaints from traders in the Mandi who said officials were harassing them. With the help of CCTV footage and technical surveillance, the accused were identified and informers were tasked to trace them. Police said the men were held after Ravinder was spotted in Najafgarh area in the same car he used to threaten the traders.