STF of Haryana Police arrests 6 persons
CHANDIGARH: In a major breakthrough in case of threat calls to certain MLAs, the Special Task Force of Haryana Police on Sunday arrested six people in connection with threat and extortion calls to certain MLAs. The STF (H) has also recovered a number of pass books, cheque books, ATM cards, SIM card, and other incriminating material used in extortion crimes from the gang members.
Four MLAs of the state had received death threats and extortion calls from multiple phone numbers tracing to the countries in the middle east between June 24, 2022 and June 28, 2022. FIRs were lodged against these threats and had been assigned to STF(H) by DGP Haryana PK Agrawal, to investigate. Technical analysis of these mobiles has confirmed that these numbers are registered in the Middle Eastern countries and were being operated from Pakistan.
Some ex-MLAs of Punjab had also received similar threats from these numbers. Different tones and conversational styles, like Mumbaikar tone and Punjabi language, were used during these conversations with these MLAs. IGP STF(H) Satish Balan had formed an SIT under the leadership of SP STF(H), Sumit Kumar to investigate these cases. The SIT included STF Units which were led by DSP STF(H), Sandeep Dhankhar and DSP
STF(H), and Surendra Kinha. The two-week-long operations was personally monitored and supervised by PK Agrawal.
In this context, the Director General of Police (H) has been aided by the central agencies. STF conducted a technical analysis of these mobile numbers and IP addresses. This involved five separate teams working on this technical analysis.
While working on this link, the STF(H) prepared a strategic plan through which STF(H) team started receiving these threats and extortion calls. The STF(H) strategically crafted a plan and accordingly asked the account number and mobile numbers to complete the transaction with the extortionists. To track these account numbers, two parallel teams conducted raids across Mumbai and Mujjafarpur, Bihar. Two members of this gang namely, Dulesh Alam S/O Bablu Alam resident of village Damavara PS: Sathi, Dist: Betia, Bihar and BadreAlam S/O Shahe Alam resident of village
Bigra PS: DudharaDist: Basti, Uttar Pradesh, were arrested from Mumbai. They were found in the possession of approximately 20 Passbook/Cheque Books, 18 ATMs, 14 fake sim cards, 1 diary and 5 mobile phones. Similarly, from Mujjafarpur, Bihar, STF(H) arrested 4 culprits,
Amit Yadav aka Radheshyam Yadav S/O Jairam Yadav resident of Hajiapur, PO Manikpur, PS: Gopalgunj, Distt. Gopalgunj, Bihar, Saddiq Anwar S/o Md Safiullah resident of village Turkoliya Fatehtola PO: Banjariya Distt. Motihari, Bihar,
Sanoj Kumar S/o Mahesh Pandit resident of Porkharera PS: Kanti, Distt: Mujjafarpur, Bihar, Kash Alam S/o Bablu Alam resident of village Damavara PS: Sathi, Distt: Betia, Bihar, were arrested. These culprits were found to be in possession of 2 Passbook/Cheque book, 2 diaries, 1 register, 42 sim cards, 19 mobile phones, 37 ATMs. Till date, a total of 55 ATMs, 24 mobile phones, 56 sim cards, 22 Passbook/Cheque books, Rs. 3,97,000/-, one car TATA Punch, 3 diaries and 1 register have been found in the possession of the culprits. It was found that these culprits often enticed poor or common people by offering them 15-20 thousand rupees and convinced them to open bank accounts and would then keep all the documents (Passbook/Cheque book/ATM Card/ATM Pin) with themselves and would buy fake sim cards to operate these accounts. During these raids, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, STF Bihar and Bihar Police offered complete support to STF (H). While interrogation, the STF(H) found approximately 10 Pakistani residents through whom the threats and extortion were routed.
These accused do not belong to any criminal gang or terrorist organisation. This, in fact, is a gang of very sharp criminals who are involved in professional fraud, and money laundering and have their members across Pakistan, the Middle East, and India. People sitting across these other countries would entice victims by naming “Kaun Banega Crorepati” or lotteries or by extortion calls and would make them transfer money to the account numbers given by Dulesh or Amit. Dulesh and Amit then either withdraw this money via ATMs or would transfer this amount to the Indian accounts of their Pakistan-based gang members.