A Delhi Police Assistant Sub-Inspector and gallantry medal winner has been arrested for allegedly planning to extort ₹2 crore by conniving with criminals, an officer said on Sunday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Thakur said ASI Rajbir Singh, posted with the Police Control Room unit in South-West Zone, had planned and plotted the extortion.
A Delhi Police spokesperson said they were examining the possibility of revoking the medal conferred on Singh. “He has been suspended and proceedings for his dismissal are being contemplated,” he added.
The police said the matter came to light when an FIR was lodged at the Hauz Khas police station in which the complainant alleged that on June 28 his father received a call from a man who identified himself as gangster Kala. The caller allegedly demanded ₹2 crore and threatened to kill the complainant’s entire family if he did not pay up.
During investigation, it was revealed that the SIM card and phone used to make the extortion call was allegedly snatched on June 27 in Rohtak, Haryana.
The handset was not used to make the call, but the SIM card was put in another phone and then the call was made. The handset was procured by Mukesh from Sawan, both residents of Pankaj Garden, Delhi. Mukesh gave the handset to Parmod alias Kala, a resident of Jhajjar in Haryana, who then made the extortion call from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan.
Mukesh and Sawan were then arrested. During inquiry, it came to light that Parmod was using three phones. The numbers were analysed and it was revealed that Singh was in constant touch with Parmod.
ASI knew complainant
The ASI also knew the complainant and provided information to Parmod.
The complainant suspected Singh’s role after the ASI called him and tried to talk to him about the extortion call on July 14, the police said. Meanwhile, Parmod was arrested and he disclosed that Singh had provided the number of the complainant and told him to make the extortion call.
“Rajbir was the mastermind and he was arrested on Friday and sent to judicial custody,” the DCP said.