Gurugram-based businessman receives ‘extortion’ calls in name of jailed gangster

Police have booked an unidentified person for allegedly making calls to a Gurugram-based businessman and demanding extortion in the name of gangster Neeraj Bawana, who is presently lodged at the Tihar jail in Delhi.

The FIR was registered at the Gurugram Sadar police station on Tuesday evening under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death grievous hurt) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) on the basis of the businessman’s complaint.

According to the FIR, the businessman owns a packaging and printing facility in Rohtak and deals in edible and non-edible items produced by several branded firms.

Police said that the complainant allegedly received a call on his mobile phone from an unknown number on Monday night. The caller threatened to shoot and kill him and get his factory shut, while demanding extortion. Police said that the caller allegedly introduced himself as a member of the Bawana gang.

Police added that the unknown caller had called the businessman twice, but both the times he disconnected the calls after talking with the suspect for a few seconds.

A senior police officer, who is privy to the matter and wants to remain anonymous, said that the complainant had registered a case in Rohtak too, and more details were being gathered.

“It’s not yet clear whether the suspect who had made the extortion calls to the businessman is actually linked with the gangster or is a petty criminal trying to take advantage by quoting Bawana’s name,” he said.

He also said that the caller also did not brief the complainant about the amount of extortion or any time-frame for paying it. “Police are also investigating if the complainant received such calls earlier,” the officer said.

He added that gangster Bawana, accused in more than 40 criminal cases of serious nature, is presently lodged in the Tihar jail, but several of his gang-members are active across Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Dinesh Kumar, the station house officer (SHO) of Gurugram Sadar police station, said that investigations are underway. “The number from which the extortion calls were made is now switched-off,” he added.