quot;Don8217;t pay up, dial 100quot;

So far this year we have received 872 complaints, of which only 259 were written complaints, while 558 were complaints made in confidence. Yet we arrested 575 extortionists. The police personnel in the anti-extortion cells are highly trained and their efforts have yielded positive results.

Q: Don8217;t you think that 872 complaints are quite an alarming figure?

Onlybecause we have registered large number of complaints does not mean that it has increased. Extortion was always there and by no means it is the highest figure ever. The increase in extortion complaints was noticed since 1990. In 1992, over 891 complaints were registered by the police. It was at the time when technological advancement was not misused by criminals and most of the time only one major gang was active.

Q: You mean technological development has aided gangland activities?

Extortion demands shot up with the introduction of prepaid SIM mobile cards. We have foreseen the havoc it can cause and have taken up the matter with the companies concerned and the government. After much deliberation, though the companies have been told to ascertain the identity of the purchaser, they, unfortunately, have not organised a foolproof system to ensure the identity of the card buyer which can enable the police to trace them.

Q: If extortion has not risen as you say then why the news of frequent changein venue for marriage receptions, cancellation of booking of new cars and gangsters forwarding the bill of their drinks to hoteliers?

All these are newspapers reports. We are still trying to verify the basis. During our meetings with traders, businessmen and their groups, we tried to find out who changed the marriage venue, who cancelled the idea of buying new cars and such other things. We found that neither of this is true.

What8217;s true is that car sales dropped much before the hue and cry about extortion was raised. As a result, car dealers launched several sales promotion strategies. This is because of recession in the market and not because of extortion threats. Similarly wedding receptions were changed or expenditure curtailed because of other reasons and not because of extortion. Well, when the wave of rumours gripped the city, some businessmen followed suit but not because they were threatened.

Q: What are your experiences while investigating threatening calls received bybusinessmen?

Statistics reveal that majority of the people arrested were street hoodlums and youth without any criminal record. Amateurs are playing on the fear psychosis fuelled by newspaper reports and sensationalisation of certain incidents that has aggravated the scenario. In most of the cases some youngsters, who happened to know about new acquisitions of their neighbour and thought of extracting money from them, were found guilty.

Q: Did you find any other interesting thing in such calls?

There was many an amazing revelation when we traced the calls. In several cases the threatening calls were made either by a hostile neighbour, a business rival, parties involved in litigations or jilted lovers. The callers used the names of gangsters to terrify people.

Q: What do you think is the best way to fight extortion?

The only way to fight extortion is to say no to the demands of extortionists and yes to the police. Even if we are informed without any formal complaint, we will helpthem.

Q: But most of the people are terror-stricken. Are these people really coming to you?

The fact that over 558 people spoke to us in confidence speaks volumes about the trust they have in us. None of those who approached us was ever harmed by the gangsters.

Q: What other measures you intend to employ in combating the menace?

We have formulated strategies which will help us zero in on the gangsters. Since those are part of operational details, they cannot be disclosed.

Q: What happened to the proposed new law?

The new law is named as Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act MCOC. We have already forwarded the proposal to the Union government and are soon expecting clearance.

Q: How will MCOC help the police?

It is a law with stringent provisions to deal with organised crime. Being a member of any gang itself will be a crime and hence obtaining bail will be made difficult. The offence of possession of firearms will also be dealt sternly. Tape-recorded evidencewill be made admissible in the court of law.Q: What advise would you like to give to the threatened businessmen?

At first sign of trouble come to us.