Police said the four used to blackmail him, threatening to reveal that he was dismissed earlier from a shop for allegedly stealing and also threatening to kidnap his son.
Under pressure to meet their demands, the man recently even went to the extent of pledging his house to his friend for Rs 14 lakh. When the friend questioned him, he narrated his plight following which the former advised him to lodge a complaint with police.
Police arrested the four and recovered Rs 10.23 lakh besides ornaments weighing 3.5 sovereigns, two cars and a motorcycle, all bought with the money extorted from the goldsmith.