Barnala, March 8: The Barnala police on Sunday dismantled a self-orchestrated extortion scheme allegedly devised by a local brick kiln owner to obtain government security. Authorities arrested five individuals, including the complainant and two of his employees, after a technical investigation revealed that the reported threats from an international gangster group were fraudulent.
Barnala SSP Md Sarfaraz Alam stated that the primary accused, Shivam Mittal, had recently reported receiving WhatsApp demands for Rs 20 lakh from an international number. The complainant alleged that the callers claimed ties to organized crime syndicates. However, digital forensics and call detail analysis led investigators to a different conclusion, identifying the calls as part of a domestic conspiracy.
“The complainant himself, along with his driver and another associate, had hatched the conspiracy to create a false impression of a threat,” the SSP maintained during a press briefing. He affirmed that the motive behind the elaborate drama was to secure official police protection.
During the investigation, police apprehended Kamalpreet Singh and Kulwant Rai, who allegedly placed the calls at the instruction of Mittal’s employee, Gurpreet Singh. Police records indicate that Gurpreet facilitated the communication and provided the necessary funds to execute the plan.
While Mittal, his driver Parmajit Singh, and three others are currently in custody, one suspect remains at large. Officials confirmed the recovery of a .315 bore pistol, live ammunition, and a vehicle used in the commission of the act. The accused face multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
