Gang of extortionists busted, one arrested
Jalandhar, February 11
A member of an inter-country extortion gang, which had been making threat calls to businessmen and industrialists in the region, was arrested by the Kapurthala police and his three aides have been nominated. Kapurthala SSP Navneet Singh Bains said the gang was involved in several other cases and crimes in the past.
Balwinder Singh, a resident of Jabbowal village in Sultanpur Lodhi, was arrested by the Kapurthala police for making extortion calls and threatening to kill people if they failed to deliver the money. He told the police that he along with two Italy-based associates and a Punjab-based associate, Jaswir Singh, a resident of Gilla village in Nakodar, had sought Rs 10 lakh from a financier, Jaswinder Singh.
The two Italy-based associates of Balwinder have been identified as Suraj Sharma, a resident of Jwala Nagar in Sultanpur Lodhi, and Harjit Singh, a resident of Chitti village in Lambra, Jalandhar – who currently reside in Italy.
A Sultanpur Lodhi-based financier, Jaswinder Singh, had been receiving consistent WhatsApp calls from two Italy-based numbers by unidentified persons who had sought Rs 10 lakh from him, which, if he was unable to pay, they would shoot him. He was also threatened that they had all the information regarding his kids. The callers had also said they were aides of gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda.
They also boasted that they were behind the killing of Nakodar-based businessman Timmy Chawla. A case under Sections 384 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Sultanpur Lodhi on the finacier’s statement. The SSP said red corner notices will also soon be issued regarding the Italy-based criminals.
