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Gujarat ATS probes extortion racket run by state’s three police officials
On Friday, the officials were suspended after an FIR (first information report) was filed against the three police officials
The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Gujarat Police is probing an extortion racket that could run into crores, involving three police officials in Junagadh district who allegedly froze 335 bank accounts, claiming to have received secret inputs from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
On Friday, the officials were suspended after an FIR (first information report) was filed against police inspector Taral Bhatt, inspector AM Gohil from the Cyber Crime Cell of Junagadh SOG, and ASI Dipak Jani following a complaint from Inspector SN Gohil from the office of Inspector General (IG) of Junagadh Range Nilesh Jajadia, Junagadh ‘B’ Division police.
According to the FIR, Kartik Bhandari, a resident of Kerala, came to know in December 2023 that his account had been frozen by the bank.
Bank officials told him that it was done on the orders of the Cyber Crime Cell of Junagadh police.
When Bhandari contacted police officials in Junagadh, they sought some documents and bank statements.
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When the issue was still not resolved, he traveled to Junagadh on January 16, and contacted Jani and A M Gohil at SOG office.
Jani allegedly told Bhandari that the account was under suspension as there were “secret inputs received from the Enforcement Directorate (ED)” about suspicious transactions worth crores of rupees.
The accused officials allegedly demanded bribe of ₹25 lakh from Bhandari.
When Bhandari said he could arrange only ₹3 to ₹4 lakh, Jani allegedly said other account holders had paid ₹20 lakh each to unfreeze their accounts, and his senior officers will not settle for less.
Inspector Gohil then allegedly threatened to forward the matter to the ED, the FIR stated.
As advised by his lawyer, Bhandari contacted the Range IG and submitted an application to unfreeze his account. IG Jajadia asked inspector Gohil to conduct an inquiry.
The FIR was registered after internal probe revealed that the accused trio had freezed some 335 bank accounts on the pretext of investigation and tried to extort money from one of the account holders when he approached them, said a police official aware of the matter.
The three officials have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 167 (public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury), 465 (forgery), 385 (putting a person in fear for extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy) besides relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, according to the FIR.
An official from Gujarat ATS disclosed that they have notified the bank where the accounts were frozen and are currently obtaining information on the total amount extorted and the number of account holders involved.
Gujarat ATS DySP Shanker Chaudhary will be investigating the case.
Meanwhile, no arrests have been made so far.
