New Delhi: In a case of attempted extortion, Delhi Police have arrested a 50-year-old man for allegedly impersonating notorious gangster Naveen Bali and demanding ₹1 crore from a Delhi-based businessman. The accused, identified as Sanjay, was nabbed after technical surveillance and intelligence gathering revealed his involvement.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West) Bhisham Singh said that the victim first approached the Adarsh Nagar police station on July 24, reporting that he had received threatening calls earlier in the month.
According to the complainant, he got a call on July 3 from an unknown number where the caller, claiming to be gangster Naveen Bali, demanded ₹1 crore and threatened serious consequences if payment wasn’t made within four days. Initially believing it to be a hoax, the businessman ignored the threat. But on July 20, he received another call at 8:28 pm from the same number repeating the demand. This prompted him to finally file a police complaint.
Following the complaint, police registered a case under Section 308(4) (extortion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and launched a detailed investigation.
During the probe, police noted the caller had a distinct Haryanvi accent. Using technical surveillance and manual inputs, the police identified Sanjay as the prime suspect. He was arrested after a trap was laid.
During interrogation, Sanjay confessed to impersonating gangster Naveen Bali in a bid to extort money from the businessman. The accused revealed that he had earlier worked in several private offices across Delhi but had left due to dissatisfaction with pay.
DCP Singh said that Sanjay was influenced by media reports and social media stories about high-profile extortion cases. Motivated by the idea of earning quick money, he plotted the scam and conspired with Rahul Rathi, an associate of the businessman who knew about his business operations.
Police recovered a handwritten note from Sanjay containing the businessman’s mobile number, further cementing his role in the crime. No previous criminal record was found against the accused.
Further investigation is ongoing, and police are probing Rahul Rathi’s role in facilitating the attempted extortion.
