The Hindu : New Delhi News : Extortionists remanded to police custody

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 17, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Extortionists remanded to police custody

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 16. Four alleged extortionists, who were arrested following a brief exchange of fire with the Special Staff at R.K. Puram on Wednesday, were remanded to five-day police custody by a Delhi court today.

The accused, Vipin Gaur, Pankaj Tyagi, Pankaj and Jabbar, had come to R.K. Puram in a Tata Safari with tinted glasses and bearing a red beacon to collect Rs. 1 lakh from a businessman, Rati Bhan, from whom they had recently extorted Rs. 6-7 lakhs. On seeing the police party, they fled in their vehicle towards Gurgaon. The police gave them a chase. The accused turned towards Rao Tula Ram Marg to avoid traffic and then to Benito Juarez Marg where two policemen on a motorcycle tried to intercept the Safari.

The accused opened fire and the police fired two rounds in retaliation. There was another exchange of fire near Atma Ram Sanatan Dharam College after which the Safari rammed into some building materials kept on the road near the Army Officers Enclave. Two of the occupants came out and ran towards the Army colony, where the police and the Army personnel arrested them, while the other two were arrested from the Safari.

During interrogation, Vipin disclosed that he graduated from PG DAV College and was involved in at least three cases of attempt-to-murder and assault. His wife has retired from the World Health Organisation. Earlier, Vipin was into property dealing and had recently bagged an MCD tender for cement road construction. He revealed that for extortion he took the help of Pankaj Tyagi, Pankaj and Jabbar.

The police said Pankaj was also involved in cases of attempt-to-murder and assault. His father runs a restaurant in Gurgaon. The other accused, Jabbar, had earlier opened an electronics good showroom at Mandawli but suffered financial losses. He started supplying cold drinks but did not make much profit. The police said he then entered into the world of crime to make quick money. Further investigations are on.

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