Two brothers held for extortion bid in Delhi's Punjabi Bagh

According to officials, the key accused took a loan of Rs 80 lakh and was unable to repay it, prompting the duo to commit the crime. Representational pic

Two brothers from the Punjabi Bagh area in West Delhi have been arrested for allegedly attempting to extort money from a friend by sending him a threatening letter, accompanied by two empty bullet cartridges, according to police statements filed on Saturday.

The accused have been identified as Rohit Nagpal, aged 35, and his brother Sagar, aged 30. Authorities confirmed their arrest in connection with the extortion case, PTI reported.

Delhi Police's investigations revealed that the brothers devised the extortion scheme as a means to address their growing financial troubles, which stemmed from significant losses in their business ventures. According to officials, Rohit, the key accused, took a loan of Rs 80 lakh and was unable to repay it, prompting the duo to commit the crime.

Talking about this case, Vichitra Veer, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said, "On May 13, Rohit Chauhan received a suspicious courier at his residence. Inside were photographs of his wife and child, two empty gun cartridges, and a letter demanding a hefty sum in US dollars. The letter warned that his family would be harmed if the money was not paid."

A complaint was lodged immediately by the family after receiving the threats. The investigation team carefully traced the source of the courier and analysed the components involved in the threat, according to the officer. Investigators began questioning individuals from the complainant's inner circle, including Rohit Nagpal, who had been a close friend of the complainant for many years.

Veer added, "On sustained questioning, Rohit confessed to being behind the extortion attempt." According to the officer, Rohit disclosed that he and his younger brother had devised the scheme to make it appear as though the threat was connected to a criminal gang.

The officer stated that the brothers obtained the empty cartridges from a licensed gun house and collected personal details about the victim's family to make the threat appear more convincing.

They delivered the threatening materials using a scooter and coordinated the plan through their mobile phones and a laptop, all of which have since been seized by police. Rohit holds a graduate degree, while Sagar has pursued a Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), the officer added. Both have been taken into custody, and further investigation is ongoing to determine whether they were involved in any similar cases in the past.

(With inputs from PTI)