Kolkata: 3 held in Hooghly for trying to extort money posing as CID officials

According to officials, a police vehicle was patrolling the highway when they saw a blue beacon car with the state government board parked on the side of the road. Three persons from the car stopped a brick-laden tractor and demanded the tractor driver to pay Rs 2 lakh, otherwise, he would be booked in a case. The police said that when the patrol team reached there, the three, who were impersonating CID officials, were caught red-handed and arrested.

Superintendent of Police (Hooghly Rural) Kamanashis Sen said: “The three have been identified as Karthik Adhikari, Pritam Gayen and Kuntal Saha. They have been booked for extortion and attempted robbery by misusing government official board and identities. Inquiries are also being made about the vehicle in which they were travelling.”

According to police, the three hailed from the Chunchura Rabindranagar area. While Kartik is a painter, Pritam is a delivery boy and Kuntal is a driver, police said.

In 2021, the state Transport Department released a list of ministers and officials who were entitled to use beacon lights atop their vehicles during emergency duties. The department had issued the notification after police arrested a few people for impersonating senior officers of the state government and CBI and using vehicles with beacon lights on them.