Former employee arrested for Rs 50 lakh extortion attempt in east Delhi

Delhi Police have arrested a 28-year-old former employee for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 50 lakh from his ex-employer, a businessman based in Gandhi Nagar, east Delhi. The accused, identified as Pawan alias Praveen, was apprehended in Shahdara following a complaint and subsequent investigation.

According to police, Pawan was inspired by a movie and threatened to falsely implicate the businessman by alerting the Income Tax department, accusing him of hoarding black money. He reportedly sent a series of threatening messages and calls, demanding payment in exchange for silence.

Businessman targeted through anonymous WhatsApp messages

The complaint was filed by a businessman living in Surajmal Vihar. He told police that on July 12, he received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number threatening to file a tax complaint unless he agreed to meet and resolve the matter. The businessman ignored the message and subsequent calls.

On August 1, he received similar threats from a second number. The sender claimed to have detailed knowledge of the victim’s business operations and family. The accused demanded Rs 50 lakh and warned of serious consequences if the payment was not made.

Accused tracked using digital surveillance tools

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam assigned a team under the SHO of Vivek Vihar to investigate the case. Officers used technical surveillance methods, including call detail and IP record analysis, to identify the suspect.

The investigation led police to Pawan, a resident of Jhilmil Industrial Area. He was arrested, and the mobile phone used in the extortion attempt was recovered. During questioning, Pawan confessed to planning the scheme, stating he had worked for the businessman five years ago as a salesman and chose him deliberately. He admitted his intention was to make quick money.

A case has been registered, and further inquiries are underway to verify all aspects of the incident.


(With inputs from TOI)