2 held for demanding Rs 5-cr extortion in Amritsar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 30

The city police have arrested two persons for allegedly demanding extortion from a prominent industrialist owing an aluminum factory at the Maqboolpura focal point here. They had demanded Rs 5 crore from Rohit Sabharwal as the protection money.

This is the second such case that has come to light in the past two months, indicating that the extortion rackets run by notorious criminals allegedly being sheltered by their political bosses are running with impunity.

Those arrested in the case included Charanjit Singh, alias Chan of Kharar in Mohali, and Gajinderjit Singh, aka Rajbir of RB Estate on Loharaka road here. They were brought on the police remand for further interrogation and exposed the entire the nexus, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detective) Jugraj Singh.

Giving details, he said the police recovered a car used in the crime, four mobile phones, a country-made pistol with three live cartridges of .32 bore and folding spring knife from their possession.

As per details, Rohit Sabharwal, who had gone to Panchkula for meeting his relative two weeks ago, got a call from unknown persons, who demanded extortion while threatening of dire consequences, if he failed to meet their demand. He immediately informed the Panchkula police about this. Jugraj said two days ago, they again got a call from unknown persons for the same. He said on the statement of Rohit’s father Rajiv Sabharwal, an FIR has been registered with Majitha road police. He said Rajiv stated that they ran an aluminium factory at Maqboolpura focal point which is handled by Rohit. He said Rohit returned on Sunday and again he got a call for extortion. The caller said they had arrived in Amritsar and be ready with Rs 5 crore.

ADCP said the matter was investigated technically and the accused were arrested after laying a trap. He said interrogation was underway to expose the entire racket. It is learnt that the accused carried out the recce of the entire family and knew that the family had procured new vehicles recently.

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