Man held after TV-inspired extortion bid

Delhi Police arrested a 31-year-old man who was making extortion calls to a well-known paediatrician based in East Delhi’s Krishna Nagar area. The accused was influenced from a TV serial and demanded Rs 5 lakh from him.

The accused has been identified as Virender Kumar Raheja, a resident of Govindpuri in <g data-gr-id="33">South-East</g>. According to police, on Tuesday the doctor filed a complaint at Anand Vihar police station and told police that since August 9 he is receiving extortion calls and SMSs on his mobile phone from an unknown caller.

“The extortionist was threatening him and his family members of dire consequences if he doesn’t pay Rs 5 lakh as ransom. Later the extortionist told that he is an aide of Golden Baba and he needs the money for Kaanwad Yatra,” the police official said.

A team was constituted and during the course of <g data-gr-id="43">investigation</g>, it was found that the calls were being made from <g data-gr-id="42">a SIM</g> purchased on <g data-gr-id="44">fake</g> identity. The caller locations were checked and found that all the calls were being made from different locations. List of persons known by the doctor was collected and surveillance was kept on their activities.

On Tuesday evening, acting on specific information, Virender Kumar was apprehended from his house and interrogated. The mobiles and SIM used in the extortion bid were recovered from his possession. On sustained <g data-gr-id="36">interrogation</g> Raheja told that he runs a business of sanitary pipes. For the last few <g data-gr-id="35">months</g> he had suffered a huge loss in the business which led him to stay at home most of the time watching television.

“During this he regularly started watching the TV serial <g data-gr-id="27">Savdhaan</g> India and after watching several episodes he himself thought to extort someone and get easy money,” the official added.