Portugal-based gangster Mann among two booked for extortion

On Thursday, the Amritsar (Rural) police registered a case of extortion at the Mehta police station against a Portugal-based gangster identified as Manpreet Singh, alias Mann Ghanshampuria, and his accomplice Jobanjit Singh, alias Billa, a resident of Arjanmanga village here.

The complainant alleged that he received a threat message from Manpreet and Jobanjit several times demanding Rs 50 extortion from him. They threatened to kill him in case he failed to pay the amount. A probe had been initiated in this connection, the police said.

This is not the isolated case of extortion. Earlier too, similar complaints had been lodged against the duo. They also orchestrated firing to intimidate their victims.

On August 23, a garment and cosmetic trader at Chowk Mehta got an extortion threat from the duo. Their unknown accomplices fired outside his shop. The victim alleged that suspects had demanded Rs 40 lakh extortion money and threatened him of dire consequences if he failed to pay the amount. The victim, along with his staff, were at his shop when three unidentified persons with covered faces came on a bike and fired several gunshots at them. The victim and his employees had a narrow escape in the incident.

Earlier on August 16, the police had arrested three accomplices of Manpreet and Jobanjit who had fired at a book store owner and demanded

Rs 50 lakh extortion from him. The police had seized two pistols and a revolver, besides four mobile phones, a vehicle and Rs18,000 cash from the arrested suspects. They were identified as Navraj Singh of Nath ki Khui village and Gurpreet Singh and Gagandeep Singh of Mehsampur village in Mehta.

Mann Ghanshampuria gang is wanted in many incidents of crime committed in the Amritsar (Rural) area. The gang had shot dead a youth on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections at Lakhowal village.