New Delhi, May 29 (IANS): An FIR has been lodged with the Special Cell's IFSO unit against an unknown person, who threatened a Delhi-based lawyer impersonating Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana.

A senior police official said that as soon as they received a complaint, they immediately lodged an FIR. The complaint was transferred to the IFSC unit, which lodged the FIR. They formed a team of elite officials to look into the matter.

"On May 21, Advocate Manjeet Singh, the complainant wrote an email to us in this respect. He alleged that someone who was impersonating Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, threatened him of dire consequences.

"The accused threatened that he would implicate Singh in a false case. Singh received a number of such messages on whatsApp and on his SMS after which he decided to lodge a complaint. Singh has mentioned in the complaint that the accused had put a photo of Mr Asthana as his profile picture," said the police official.

Singh also checked the number on Truecaller, and here too Rakesh Asthana's photo showed as the display picture.

The police said that it was a kind of extortion racket, and added that they were working on the case and were hopeful to make an early arrest.