Three ‘cyber journalists’ held for blackmail, extortion bid
March 22nd, 2011 - 10:14 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 22 (IANS) Three people posing as cyber journalists were arrested in south Delhi for blackmail and an attempt to extort money from a man running a maternity centre, police said Tuesday. They earlier cheated MPs and businessmen.
Pankaj Gupta, 26, kingpin of the extortion syndicate, Raj Narain Tiwari, 33, and Rajiv Kumar, 31, were held near Ashram flyover March 19.
“Vijender Kumar, a resident of Mayur Vihar in east Delhi, made a complaint on March 17 that a man claiming to be a journalist called him on March 10 and threatened to do a story against his clinic for illegal medical termination of pregnancy and also asked him to scan their website www.dellitoday.com,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ashok Chand.
When Vijender Kumar checked the website, he found that there was a sting operation story “Kalyug ke Bhagwan” exposing another clinic allegedly involved in illegal activities, police said.
Kumar, whose family owns a clinic and maternity centre in Kondli area of east Delhi which is registered for conducting abortions, told police that the caller demanded Rs.10 lakh for hushing up the matter.
“The two sides finally settled for a payment of Rs.6.5 lakh and out of that Rs.50,000 was to be paid immediately,” said Chand.
“We laid a trap and called the extortionist near Ashram flyover in south Delhi to give Rs.50,000. Two people - Pankaj Gupta and Raj Narain Tiwari - were held from the spot,” he said.
Rajiv Kumar was arrested later from Madhu Vihar in east Delhi.
During interrogation, they told police that they planned to extort money from five other clinics, hospitals and nursing homes in the east Delhi.
“The owners of these clinics, hospitals and nursing homes have been examined and they confirmed receiving calls from the extortion syndicate,” said Chand.
They visited clinics and with the help of camera hidden in key ring prepared videos. “They talked to the staff and doctors of the clinic for conducting abortion. Later they uploaded the video on their website and contacted the clinic owners for money,” said Chand.
“They also cheated MPs in 2007 and extorted money from cooking gas agency owners in 2005,” said Chand.
- Seven arrested for open school exam fraud - Apr 24, 2012
- Four cricket betting syndicates busted, 11 arrested - Mar 25, 2011
- Man tries to extort money from neighbour, arrested - Sep 21, 2011
- Four held for robbery in Delhi - Jan 22, 2011
- 8 cricket bookies arrested in Delhi - Feb 20, 2011
- Man held for duping woman - Apr 02, 2011
- Two held for extorting money from businessman's son - May 25, 2011
- Eunuch held for killing live-in partner - May 14, 2011
- Delhi engineer murdered by friend for ransom (Second Lead) - Apr 06, 2012
- Two held for extortion bid in capital - Jan 10, 2011
- TV serial actor held for extortion bid - Feb 02, 2011
- Bihar doctor dragged out of clinic, shot dead - Sep 14, 2011
- Court acquits don Dawood Ibrahim's 'aide' - Apr 23, 2012
- Lookout notices issued for three fake pilots, instructor - Mar 28, 2011
- Fake pilots: Four more held - Mar 26, 2011
Tags: ashok, bhagwan, blackmail, chand, commissioner of police, deputy commissioner, east delhi, extortion, extortionist, flyover, key ring, lakh, medical termination of pregnancy, police crime, rajiv kumar, rs 50, rs 6, south delhi, sting operation, termination of pregnancy