Police action: Gang of extortionists busted

Arrested men have been identified as Zakir, Nawaz, Mehboob Khan and Mukhtiar

ISLAMABAD: Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Islamabad Police has busted a gang of extortionists who used to demand money from businessmen after portraying themselves as members of a terrorist outfit.

Following some complaints extortion of money from businessmen, SSP Islamabad Sajid Kiani directed the SP (Investigation) Muhammad Ilyas to trace those involved in the activity.

The SP (Investigation) constituted a team under the supervision of the DSP CIA, Bashir Noon, to ensure arrest of the extortionists.

This team including In-charge Technical Unit ASI Muhammad Azeem Minhas, ASI Zulfiqar Ali, Umer Draz and others used technical as well as digital expertise and traced the gang by analysing their mobile phone data and location pattern.

After completion of technical work, raids were conducted at the hideouts of suspects and four gangsters involved in extortion activities were arrested.

They have been identified as Zakir, Nawaz, Mehboob Khan and Mukhtiar, while police recovered one 30-bore pistol and mobiles phones along with various SIMs from them.

During preliminary investigation, they “confessed” to their involvement in various incidents of robbery at gun point and threatening a trader in Sabzi Mandi.

They disclosed to have placed a letter for extortion on July 24, 2016 by using the name of a terrorist outfit and making calls for money to Muhammad Zahoor running a business at Sabzi Mandi.

They also threatened to kill him in case he did not give them money.

Further investigation is underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2016.