Posing as journalists: Four extortionists arrested

Press IDs of major media organisations were recovered from their possession, says police.

RAWALPINDI:

The police arrested four extortionists who would pose as journalists and blackmail traders.

Press IDs of major media organisations were recovered from their possession, the police said. According to the Saddar Bairuni police, Rana Muhammad Usman, Iftikhar Ali, Shaukat Ali, Danyal Latif, Ziaur Rehman and Malik Abid Hussain were arrested from Girja Road after they had extorted money from a bakery owner.

The fraudsters entered Super Modern Bakery on Girja Road and started filming the shop. They accused the bakery owner of preparing unhygienic food and threatened to air a report on their TV channel unless he paid them Rs10,000.

The owner gave them Rs3,000, the police said. As the five men left, however, some shopkeepers encircled them and began thrashing them. Later, the police were called and the quartet was arrested.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2014.