Multi-crore extortion racket: 2 Haryana Police officials held, sent to 9-day police remand

According to the SIT, these three were part of a racket where huge sums of money was extorted over the past several years from many industrialists by coercion. Vinay Aggarwal was said to be the mastermind in running the racket. He had secured interim bail and now his bail plea comes up for hearing in Himachal High Court on Friday.

Direct involvement of more persons from Haryana is suspected in the case, said a government spokesperson.

After lodging an FIR on 6 January against the accused person Vinay Aggarwal, who impersonated as an IGP to extort huge money by visiting industrial areas of Kala-Amb, Baddi, Nalagarh and other areas in HP in the past three years, the DGP Sanjay Kundu had constituted an SIT headed by Rohit Malpani, SP, Cyber Crime with Gaurav Singh, IPS, SP-EOW, Virender Kalia, SP, CID-Crime and other police officer and officials.

During the investigation it was revealed that two uniformed Haryana Police personnel — Ravinder and Jasveer — also used to accompany Vinay with automatic weapons.

DGP Sanjay Kundu appealed that the industrialists of Himachal Pradesh who are victims of this gang should come forward to approach the DGP and the SIT, without fear, so that justice is done and financial damage caused can be taken care of by legal action.

The spokesperson said that information can be shared in total confidence on DGP Kundu’s mobile number or through personal visits.

After securing the interim bail from the High Court, accused Vinay Aggarwal had joined the investigation and is learnt to have revealed many important details to the police.

Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh Police stated in a communication to the media that more arrests are likely in this case as the investigation is on to “unravel the complete gamut of extortion”.