Four held for trying to extort money in gangster Rajesh Bharti’s name

The gang making extortion demand was using phone numbers from the US and Canada - a practice Bharti’s men did not indulge in.

On June 13, a businessman in south Delhi received a call from a man who claimed to be a henchman of slain gangster Rajesh Bharti and demanded ₹1.8 crore as extortion money. The businessman did not take the threat seriously. However, in the next few hours his son narrowly escaped an abduction bid which led the family to believe that Bharti’s men were indeed behind the threat.

Arrest-handcuffs.

When police traced the call records, they found that the phone numbers being used were from the United States and Canada — a practice Bharti’s men did not indulge in. On June 28, a trap was laid and the suspects who had come to receive extortion money were arrested. Police found that the businessman’s driver had roped in a friend and two relatives to extort the businessman on Bharti’s name. All four were arrested.

Deputy commissioner of police (south) Romil Baaniya said the four accused were identified as the businessman’s driver, 23-year-old Sehdev Lal, his friend Sachin (19), an undergraduate who aspires to become a cyber expert, and two of Lal’s relatives Mukesh Singh (27) and Sonu (22).

“The complaint of extortion was received at Safdarjung Enclave police station in which a businessman had alleged that he has received threats from Bharti’s gang. He further revealed that on June 13, when his son was returning home from Faridabad, an attempt was made to abduct him on gunpoint. The men told the businessman that the abduction bid was only a ‘trailer’ and that if he didn’t pay the extortion money, they would eliminate his entire family,” Baaniya said.

While one of the suspects knocked on the car’s window, the other remained seated on the motorcycle, the DCP said. “As the suspects took a bag containing the ransom amount, the police team swung into action and intercepted them. The motorcyclist tried to speed away, but was overpowered by the policemen. The two men were identified as Sachin and Sonu and a loaded pistol was recovered from them,” the officer said.

They allegedly revealed involvement of two other associates, Mukesh and Sahdev, after which they were also arrested. “They said that it was Sahdev’s idea to extort money from the businessman. On his information, Sachin planned the abduction and also made the extortion plan. Calls and messages to the complainant were sent using advanced moblie apps to hide their location,” Baaniya said.