Borivali police have arrested four men for allegedly demanding Rs30 lakh in extortion from a jeweller by posing as members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and issuing death threats reminiscent of the killing of politician Baba Siddique.
The accused contacted the jeweller between February 18 and 24 via WhatsApp calls and messages, claiming to be associates of the gangster and threatening to kill him if the money was not paid.
The first arrest was Riyazuddin Mohammad Bashir (29) in Mahim. Based on his interrogation, three more accused—Mohammad Faiyaz alias Saddam (27), Mohammad Ashraful Ansari (36), and Mohammad Arbaz Ansari (27)—were arrested from Bandra and Jogeshwari (West).
Borivali police laid a trap using gold coins as bait, instructing the jeweller to inform the accused that payment would be made in gold instead of cash or bank transfer. When Bashir arrived to collect the gold, police apprehended him.
Investigations revealed that the accused are part of a notorious cyber fraud network operating from Jamtara, Jharkhand, and all four are residents of Wasseypur in Dhanbad district. The gang reportedly used international numbers, WhatsApp calls, and scripted threats to intimidate businessmen and extort money.
The extortion operation came to light after jeweller Ankit Jain lodged a complaint with Vile Parle Police. So far, nine accused have been arrested—five by Vile Parle Police and four by Borivali Police—while the main kingpin allegedly operating from Jamtara remains at large.
