Three arrested for extortion

nGURUGRAM: Three people, including two women, were arrested from Udyog Vihar on Saturday for allegedly extorting money from businessmen and grocery shop owners in the city, the police said.

With the arrests, the police busted a gang with at least three more members who allegedly targeted businessmen and extorted lakhs of rupees by threatening to implicate them in false cases of sexual assault. The suspects were identified as Bithiya alias Riya and Mahima alias Mahi of Delhi, and Puranmal alias Bhagte of Gurugram.

Muhammad Akil, commissioner of police, said the gang had extorted more than ₹50 lakh from several men, including the most recent victim — a 35-year-old shop owner from whom they extorted nearly ₹50,000.

“We received a complaint from the businessman on March 20, and formed a team to lay a trap. The two women were caught redhanded while receiving the money in Udyog Vihar on Friday,” said Akil.

The women told the police that the suspects would often visit local markets where they introduced themselves to shop owners as homemakers. “Once the women were confident that the victims trusted them, they would invite them to their rented room in Khandsa near Sector 9,” said Akil. According to the police, the women would make “objectionable videos” for extortion.

According to the police, the latest victim met Riya in his studio in Sector 10 and exchanged phone numbers with her. On March 16, the suspect took him to her house and offered a drink laced with sedatives. The suspect then shot a video of him with her and demanded money.

On March 20, the victim called woman and agreed to pay ₹50,000. He asked her to meet him on Friday evening. “As soon as the woman took the money, a police team caught her,” said Preet Pal Sangwan, ACP (crime)police.