Mumbai, April 6: The Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Police has arrested two individuals for allegedly demanding a ransom of ₹4 lakh using a fake letter signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The accused were presented in the Esplanade Court, where they were remanded to three days of police custody. The arrested individuals have been identified as 44-year-old Tausif Hussain Ismail Patel, associated with Target Media, and 43-year-old Siddhinath Dinanath Pandey, also known as Sunil. Both reside in Shastri Nagar, Goregaon (West).
According to the complaint, the victim runs a non-governmental organization called “Mega Shreya,” which has been engaged in social work for underprivileged children, old age homes, and orphanages since 2020.
The complainant met Tausif Patel and his associate Farnaz Wadia during a social event in 2022. They introduced themselves as journalists and maintained contact via WhatsApp, sharing information about the complainant’s social initiatives. On March 18, Patel allegedly sent a voice note via WhatsApp, offering to send a birthday greeting letter from the Prime Minister’s Office in exchange for money. The complainant initially dismissed this claim as fake. However, the accused insisted the letter was genuine and demanded ₹4 lakh as a public relations fee.
Subsequently, on March 28, Farnaz Wadia sent a digital copy of a letter purportedly signed by the Prime Minister, addressed to the complainant and praising her social work. The complainant initially shared the letter on social media but removed it after colleagues expressed doubts about its authenticity. The accused allegedly intensified their demands and created a fake email ID in the complainant’s name to lend credibility to their fraudulent claims.
The complainant arranged a meeting with the accused at a café in Worli, where they reiterated their demand for ₹4 lakh in exchange for an “authentic” letter from the Prime Minister’s Office. Under continuous pressure and threats, the complainant contacted the police.
Acting on the complaint, the Anti-Extortion Cell set a trap at a hotel on Worli Sea Face, where the accused were caught red-handed while accepting money from the complainant.
Police recovered a fake birthday greeting letter allegedly signed by the Prime Minister, bundles of toy currency notes, two genuine ₹500 notes, and two mobile phones used in the crime.
Subsequently, a case was registered against the accused under various sections of the BNS and IT Acts. The FIR was initially filed at the Worli Police Station and later transferred to the Anti-Extortion Cell for further investigation. Based on the complaint, police conducted a technical investigation and set up a trap in the Worli area, leading to the arrest of the accused while they were accepting the extorted money.
Authorities suspect the involvement of other accomplices and are investigating the sources of the Prime Minister’s forged signatures and letterhead, as well as the digital tools used to create the fake documents.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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