Fake Lawrence Bishnoi gang operatives held in Mumbai for Rs 20 lakh ransom bid

Mumbai, Feb 19 (IANS) In a swift operation, Mumbai Police arrested four youths for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 20 lakh from a jewellery businessman in the name of the “Lawrence Bishnoi gang,” officials said on Thursday. 

The incident occurred in the Vile Parle area, where the businessman, owner of Mangal Royal Jewellers Pvt. Ltd. in Vile Parle East, received a threatening WhatsApp message from a foreign number on the night of February 12 demanding Rs 20 lakh. The sender warned that failure to pay would result in him being shot and claimed links to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang operating from Canada.

Officials said threatening calls and messages continued over the next two days. On February 14, a caller identifying himself as a gang member reiterated the demand. When the businessman expressed an inability to arrange the amount, negotiations ensued, and the extortion sum was eventually reduced to Rs 5 lakh.

On February 16, the businessman received instructions to keep the money ready and send his staff to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) in Kurla for the handover. As he had already alerted the Vile Parle police, a trap was laid under the supervision of Police Inspector Srinivas Chevle, police teams were deployed, and security arrangements were made for the businessman and his family.

Two employees were sent to LTT with Rs 5 lakh in a handbag and asked to wait near a restaurant in the parking area. Around 4.30 p.m., they received a call stating that the collectors would identify themselves using the code word "Lalpari".

Shortly thereafter, four suspects approached the spot, surveyed the surroundings, and asked for the password before leaving. A little later, two of them returned, uttered the code word, collected the bag, and attempted to flee in an autorickshaw.

Police teams lying in wait chased the vehicle for nearly 200 metres and apprehended all four suspects. They were initially taken to the BKC Police Station and later handed over to the Vile Parle Police.

During the search, police recovered the entire Rs 5 lakh in cash, several mobile phones, a gold-coloured handset, and travel tickets, including one from Pune to LTT.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly told police that they had collected the money on the instructions of two individuals identified as Imtiaz and Bashir and were to hand it over to another person, Sahil Sheikh. Each of them was allegedly promised Rs 5,000 for the job.

The arrested accused have been identified as Deepak Narendra Dangol, 19, Majid Sajid Khan, 21, Faizan Firoz Khan, 27, and Sahil Iliyaz Sheikh, 20.

All four were arrested early on Tuesday. A case has been registered against them under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.

--IANS

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