New Delhi, Apr 24 (IANS): A former employee and his friend attempted to extort Rs one crore from a businessman by posing as members of the infamous Neeraj Bawania gang, a Delhi Police official said on Monday.

The accused were identified as Ajay (22) and Anand (29) both residents of village Salahpur Majra in the city.

Anand has worked only 45 days with the victim businessman around one year ago, while Ajay is a student pursuing BA Final Year from Delhi, the official said.

As per police record, both the accused are not previously involved in any other criminal case.

According to police, on April 16 and 18, the complainant, who runs a business at Mangolpuri Industrial Area Delhi and Kundli, received extortion calls for Rs one crore in the name of the Neeraj Bawania gang.

"During investigation, the extortion calls were monitored wherein it was found that the accused called the complaint to hand over the money at Rithala chowk. Besides, the enmity angle was also analysed as well as the ex-employees of the businessman were also kept under watch," said Harendra Kumar Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer).

However, analysis of the words used by the caller while making the calls revealed the familiar pattern, which led the team to zeroing on an ex-employee who had left the job one year ago.

"Thereafter, raids were conducted and Anand was nabbed," said the DCP.

Interrogation revealed that Anand had hatched the criminal conspiracy to extort cash of Rs one crore from the complainant by extending threats to kill him as well as his family in the name of Neeraj Bawania Gang.

"As per the plan, his friend Ajay had made the extortion calls to the victim. Subsequently, Ajay was also arrested and the mobile phone used in commission of crime was also recovered," said the DCP, adding that further investigation is underway.