Remember ‘Special 26’, the movie in which the protagonist cheats gullible people by impersonating as a CBI official. The reel got real with the Delhi Police apprehending two people in a bid to extort Rs 20 crore from their prey, the police said on Friday. The mastermind of the crime, identified as Iqbal Qureshi, has been involved in 30 cases, including that of snatching, robbery, and rape among others, as an active member of the Prince Tewatia gang.
The story unfolded when a group of seven people entered a farmhouse in Mehrauli, South Delhi introducing themselves as ED officers. They confiscated mobile phones from the people present while preventing anyone from leaving the premises. In the guise of an ‘investigation’, they questioned the complainant about significant cash withdrawals from his bank account, said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime SR) Sanjay Kumar The impersonators demanded an exorbitant sum of Rs 20 crore with the threat of arrest.
But he managed to pass the information to his manager and lawyer via WhatsApp, who confirmed with ED’s office that no such raid was authorised, he added. When the complainant asked them to produce their identity cards, they fled from the spot. Later, he filed a complaint with the police in the case, Singh said. The offenders, Iqbal Qureshi and Arun Lal, were nabbed with the help of CCTV footage from the bank. Confessing to the crime, they disclosed that they were indulging extortion for quick money, the Additional DCP mentioned.