The Gautam Buddh Nagar police busted an extortion racket and arrested 15 people including a sub inspector (a police post in-charge), three constables and two married women, late on monday night.
The gang allegedly extorted money from men by blackmailing them with false cases of rape and harassment, the police said. Police suspect the accused could have duped at least 15 people in the past six months and extorted at least Rs 20 lakh.
The police said they received a complaint from a victim following which a trap was laid and two constables were caught with Rs 50,000 on Monday.
"The victim alleged that the accused police personnel had kept his car at the sector 44 police post and were asking for more money when he had already paid up Rs 50,000. A trap was laid and the constables were caught and the whole operation was exposed after the constables were investigated," said Vaibhav Krishna, senior superintendent of police, Gautam Buddh Nagar.
The modus operandi of the gang was to extort money from men by pressuring them into a compromise in false rape and harassment cases.
"The women used to take a lift from commuters specially targeting solo traveling men. Then she would ask for a drop at a location where the PCR would already be parked. Then she would complain to the PCR driver about being sexually harassed or raped by the person. The drivers would take both the parties to the police post Sector 44 where post in-charge Sunil Sharma threatened to take legal action," said Krishna.
Krishna further said that in the meantime police used to call some other gang members, who pretended as women's family members or a lawyer.
"Sushil then suggested the two parties to compromise in exchange for a hefty sum of money and would threaten legal action in case the victim failed to comply with their terms. Sharma took at least 40% of the share while 30% went to one Ankit, the mastermind. The rest was equally distributed among the others," said Krishna.
A case under sections 384 and 120 B of the India Penal Code and sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act have been registered against the accused.
The accused were produced before a magistrate and later sent to jail.
---IANS
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