Mohali: Zirakpur Police arrested four men for allegedly posing as journalists and blackmailing shopkeepers for money. Another accused is at large. The arrested accused have been identified as Irbanpreet Singh, Mohit, Gursharan Singh and Abhishek Thakur. The role of the fifth suspect is being probed, said the police.According to the police complaint filed by Bikesh Kumar, who has been running a shop in Zirakpur for the past three years, Irbanpreet Singh, along with an accomplice, visited his shop on Feb 25 and introduced himself as a journalist.The accused reportedly accused Kumar of illegally selling small, refilled gas cylinders and threatened to publish a news report, besides lodging a police complaint against him. They allegedly demanded Rs 5,000 to hush up the matter. The complainant said he paid Rs 1,200 to the accused.Later, around 6pm, the accused allegedly returned in a car with three others and targeted another shop in the vicinity. They reportedly threatened a shop owner and extorted Rs 2,000. However, when locals gathered and shop owner, Hardeep Singh, demanded identification, their credentials appeared suspicious. Sensing foul play, residents overpowered the four men and handed them over to the police. MSID:: 128854811 413 |
