On 31st July 2022, Haryana STF apprehended a six-member gang that was threatening state legislators. So far, four MLAs have complained to police about threats and extortion calls. Between June 24 and June 28, they reportedly received death threats and extortion calls from several phone numbers traceable to Middle Eastern nations.
FIRs were filed over these threats, and Haryana DGP PK Agrawal delegated the inquiry to STF (Headquarters). Technical analysis of these cellphones, according to STF IG B Satheesh Balan, has revealed that these phones are registered in Middle Eastern nations and were handled from Pakistan.
According to a report by The Tribune, several ex-MLAs of Punjab have also received similar threats from these phones. During conversations with MLAs, many accents and patterns were employed, such as the Mumbaikar tone and Punjabi dialect.
STF IG B Satheesh Balan said, “We had formed an SIT to investigate these cases. The two-week operation was personally monitored and supervised by DGP, Haryana. STF conducted a technical analysis of these mobile numbers and IP addresses. This involved five separate teams working on this technical analysis.”
He added, “While working on this link, the STF (H) prepared a strategic plan through which the STF (H) team started receiving these threat and extortion calls. The STF (H) 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 Muzaffarpur, Bihar.”
Dulesh Alam and Badre Alam, two members of this gang, were nabbed from Mumbai. They were seized with 20 Passbook/Cheque Books, 18 ATM cards, 14 bogus SIM cards, 1 diary, and 5 mobile phones.
It was revealed that these offenders frequently lured poor or common people to create bank accounts by giving them Rs 15,000 to 20,000. They would then keep all the necessary documents (passbook, cheque books, ATM card, and ATM pin) with themselves and purchase fake SIM cards to operate these accounts.
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch, STF Bihar, and the Bihar Police provided STF Haryana with unwavering assistance during these searches. During questioning, the STF Haryana identified around ten Pakistani nationals through whom the threats and extortion were channeled.
IG Balan further said, “These accused do not belong to any criminal gang or terrorist organization. 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 in other countries would entice victims by making calls in the name of ‘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.”
