Police in Haridwar have arrested a BSc student for allegedly making extortion threats to a local businessman while pretending to be a member of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang. According to officials, the accused, identified as Ashish Saini, conspired with an associate based in Armenia to carry out the crime. The plot came to light after the victim, Ravi Kumar, who operates a vehicle agency, lodged a complaint with police.

Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pramod Singh Dobal said that Saini, a resident of Bahadrabad, was working with his associate Ajay Hooda, a native of Rohtak, Haryana, who currently works in Armenia. Hooda allegedly made the threatening calls from abroad to make the threats appear genuine and ensure that the police faced difficulty tracing the source. The duo demanded Rs 30 lakh from the businessman, warning of dire consequences if he failed to comply.

A case was registered on October 30 under Section 308(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to attempting extortion by threatening death or grievous injury. The joint team from the Haridwar Police and the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) traced the calls to Armenia. Investigators later found frequent communication between Hooda and a number in Bahadrabad, which led them to Saini.

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During interrogation, Saini confessed to his role in the extortion plot and admitted that he had shared the contact numbers of Ravi Kumar and his brother with Hooda. The two believed that placing calls from abroad would make their operation nearly untraceable. The police subsequently arrested Saini and seized his mobile phone, which contained call logs and messages linked to the conspiracy.

SSP Dobal confirmed that efforts are now underway to bring accused Ajay Hooda back to India through legal channels. Officials are also probing whether the pair attempted similar scams or were involved in any previous cases elsewhere. Police have urged the public to remain cautious of extortion calls and to immediately report any threats made in the name of criminal gangs.

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