Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Feb 25: Four men from Wasseypur in Jharkhand were arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly threatening a Borivali-based jeweller by posing as members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and demanding Rs 30 lakh as extortion money. Police clarified that the accused have no links to the actual gang.
The arrested accused have been identified as Riyazuddin Bashir (29), Mohammad Fayaz Mansuri (27), Mohammad Ashraful (36) and Mohammad Arbaz Ansari (27). They were apprehended from different locations in Mahim, Bandra and Jogeshwari after police laid a trap.
According to police, the accused had sent threatening messages and made calls to the jewellery store’s mobile number, warning that if the money was not paid, the jeweller would “meet the same fate as Baba Siddique.”
The first threat was received on February 18 at around 7.20 am via a text message from an international number. The message demanded Rs 30 lakh as “firauti” for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and warned that failure to pay within 24 hours would result in the jeweller and his family being gunned down.
The following day, on February 19, the store received a WhatsApp call from an international number. The caller questioned why the money had not been arranged and dared the staff to record the conversation. He reiterated the death threats and claimed that “nobody from Borivali would be able to save them.” Subsequent calls went unanswered, after which another message was received stating that the jeweller would be shot soon.
Initially, the threats were not taken seriously. However, on February 21 at around 3.10 am, fresh threatening messages were received. When the staff responded that they could arrange only Rs 1 lakh, the caller mocked the offer, stating that “Rs 10 lakh is used by kids for buying cigarettes” and warned the jeweller to be ready to pay with his life.
As part of a police strategy, the jeweller was asked to pretend he would pay the extortion amount in gold coins. When the accused arrived to collect the gold, they were detained by police teams deployed in advance.
Police officials said the accused were also involved in similar cases of extortion and threats registered at Vile Parle and DN Nagar police stations, which have now been solved with their arrest. Further investigation is underway.