Mumbai: The Mumbai Police arrested four individuals who posed as Delhi Intelligence Bureau (IB) officers and extorted ₹11.5 lakh from a jeweller in Bhuleshwar. The VP Road Police nabbed the accused within 24 hours of the incident.
On March 19, four unidentified men entered the jeweller's office in Bhuleshwar, claiming to be IB officers. They instructed the staff to switch off all telephones and prohibited anyone from leaving the premises. The impostors alleged that they had evidence of illegal cash transactions at the shop, which they claimed was a serious legal offense.
The accused demanded ₹25 lakh to avoid legal action. When the jeweller expressed his inability to pay the entire amount, they began intimidating him. Fearing legal trouble, he agreed to pay ₹11.5 lakh.
After collecting the money, the accused fled, claiming they needed to deliver the cash to their senior officers. When they failed to return, the jeweller realized he had been scammed and immediately lodged a complaint at the VP Road Police Station.
Acting swiftly, the VP Road Police registered a case under Sections 308(3), 332(c), 333, 204, and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. Special teams were formed to investigate the case.
The police obtained CCTV footage from the jeweller’s office, which clearly captured the faces of the four suspects. Further examination of CCTV cameras in the vicinity helped the police track their movements. Acting on these leads and information from confidential sources, the police apprehended all four accused.
The arrested individuals were identified as Pavan Sudhakar Chaudhary (33) – resident of Thakur Village, Kandivali East; Shrijit Gaikwad (32) – resident of Ulwe, Navi Mumbai; Suryakant Shivaji Shinde (32) – resident of Vakola East; and Kisan Dhondiba Shelar (53) – resident of Girgaon.
The police are now investigating whether the accused were involved in similar extortion cases. Authorities are also verifying their criminal records and checking if they have defrauded other victims using the same modus operandi. The investigation is ongoing.
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