Haryana STF arrests 6 people for giving death threats to MLAs

Four MLAs from the state received death threats and extortion calls from multiple phone numbers which were traced to countries in the Middle East between June 24 and June 28, informed Police on Sunday.

FIRs were lodged against these threats and had been assigned to STF(H) by DGP Haryana PK Agrawal, IPS, 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," said the Punjab Police.

The two-week-long operation was personally monitored and supervised by PK Agrawal IPS, DGP Haryana. In this context, central agencies have aided the Director General of Police (H). STF conducted a technical analysis of these mobile numbers and IP addresses. This involved five separate teams working on this technical analysis, informed the police.

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 in Bihar.

Two members of this gang -- Dulesh Alam from Bihar's Betia and Badre Alam from Uttar Pradesh's Basti -- were arrested from Mumbai. They were found in the possession of approximately 20 Passbooks, Cheque Books, 18 ATMs, 14 fake sim cards, one diary and five mobile phones.

Similarly, from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, STF(H) arrested four people-- Amit Yadav alias Radheshyam Yadav of Bihar's Gopalgunj, Saddiq Anwar of Motihari, Sanoj Kumar from Mujjafarpur and Kash Alam from Betia. These culprits were found to be in possession of two Passbooks or cheques book, two diaries, one register, 42 sim cards, 19 mobile phones, and 37 ATMs.

To date, a total of 55 ATM cards, 24 mobile phones, 56 sim cards, 22 Passbook/Cheque books, Rs. 3,97,000, one car TATA Punch, three diaries and one 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," added the police.

IGP STF(H) Satish Balan, IPS, had formed an SIT under the leadership of Sumit Kumar, IPS, SP STF(H) to investigate these cases. The SIT included STF Units which were led by Sandeep Dhankhar, DSP STF(H) and Surendra Kinha, DSP STF(H). (ANI)