Mumbai, February 19: Four individuals were arrested in Mumbai’s Vile Parle area for attempting to extort ₹20 lakh from a jewelry businessman under the threat of the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang. The police acted swiftly, foiling the plot and apprehending the suspects at Kurla’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus with ₹5 lakh in cash.
The victim operates a jewelry business named Manghal Royal Jewelers Private Limited in Vile Parle East. On the night of February 12, he received a WhatsApp message from an international number demanding ₹20 lakh, threatening that failure to comply would result in violence. The message specifically mentioned the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang based in Canada. Following this, he received a series of threatening messages and calls.
On February 14, a caller claiming to be a gang member reiterated the demand for ₹20 lakh. When the businessman stated he could not pay that amount, negotiations began, and the sum was eventually reduced to ₹5 lakh. On February 15, he received another call instructing him to prepare the money. He later texted that he could only manage ₹3 lakh, but the gang insisted on the full ₹5 lakh. An agreement was reached, and a time for the payment was set for the following day.
The businessman promptly informed the Vile Parle police. Under the guidance of Inspector Srinivas Chewale, plainclothes teams were organized, and security measures for the businessman and his family were put in place.
On the morning of February 16, at 10:53 AM, a message arrived instructing him to have the money ready by 2 PM. The police directed him to send staff to Kurla Terminus. The businessman sent two employees with the ₹5 lakh in a handbag via scooter, instructing them to wait near a restaurant in the parking area.
At 4:31 PM, a call came in stating that their associate had identified the employees. The code word ‘Lalpari’ was established. Shortly after, four suspicious youths arrived, checked the password, and left. Two of them returned, used the code word ‘Lalpari,’ and took the bag. They then attempted to leave in an auto.
The police, who had been lying in wait, pursued them for about 200 meters before apprehending all four. They were taken to the BKC police station and later handed over to the Vile Parle police. A search revealed ₹5 lakh in cash, several mobile phones, a gold-colored mobile device, and train tickets from Pune to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and from Mankhurd to GTB Nagar.
During interrogation, the suspects revealed they were acting on the instructions of two individuals named Imtiaz and Bashir. The money was supposed to be handed over to Sahil Sheikh, with each accused set to receive ₹5,000 in return.
The arrested individuals are Deepak Narendra Dungol (19), Majid Sajid Khan (21), Faizan Firoz Khan (27), and Sahil Ilyas Sheikh (20). They were arrested early on February 17. A case has been registered against them under sections 308(5) and 61(2) of the Indian Penal Code. The police have recovered the extorted amount and are continuing their investigation to locate the main conspirators.
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