Gurugram police arrest seven in alleged extortion network

Seven people, including a Delhi-based hawala operator, have been arrested in connection with an alleged extortion network that police said operated in Gurugram, Delhi-NCR, western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan.

Police alleged that the group was linked to wanted gangsters Deepak Nandal and Himanshu Bhau, who are believed to be abroad. The accused allegedly targeted builders, businessmen, realtors, fashion designers, and producers in the Bollywood and Haryanvi music industries, demanding large sums of money.

Police made the arrests across Haryana, including Gurugram, between August 8 and 12 after receiving a tip-off in connection with an organised-crime FIR registered at DLF police station in Sector 29. ACP (Crime) Lalit Dalal said the accused had allegedly identified targets, collected their phone numbers and surveyed their residences and offices.

Police said they recovered four pistols, 18 live cartridges, six mobile phones and a torn currency note that was allegedly used to verify a hawala transaction. Investigators alleged that Chandni Chowk was used as a transaction base to move extorted money abroad.

Police said four of those arrested together face 29 previous cases in Haryana and Delhi, including cases involving murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, arms offences, drug smuggling and prison-law violations. Investigators said they expect further arrests.