62-year-old man nabbed for extorting money by posing as policeman

A 62-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly extorting money from people by posing as a police official along with his another accomplice in south-east Delhi, police said today.

The two accused have been identified as Vijay Verma, a resident of Ghaziabad, and his accomplice Eliyaz (44), a resident of Laxmi Nagar who works as goldsmith and used to buy gold articles from Verma, a senior police official said.

Giving details about his cases, he said that in February when one Rajiv (from Gujarat) visited IFCI Tower, Nehru Place, for some work, the accused, who was on a two-wheeler, stopped his auto.

Introducing himself as a police official, Verma told the businessman that he has been keeping surveillance over his activities since morning and asked him to pay the driver.

Once the driver left, he started threatening the victim telling him that he will call his senior officer and send him to Tihar Jail, official said.

The accused told Rajiv that if he wants to go back Gujarat safely, he will have to pay him. The victim paid him Rs 10,000 which he had in his pocket. On further pressure, Rajiv also handed him over his gold ring worth Rs 45,000.

The accused further asked him to take out the money from the ATM. When the victim came back to the place after withdrawing money, the accused was not there. It was then when Rajiv realised that he has been cheated and reported the matter to the police.

An FIR was registered at Kalkaji police station, police official said.

A similar incident was reported at the Kalkaji police station in June wherein the complainant, who runs a shop near Satyam Cinema, was stopped by the accused posing as a policeman.

The accused told that the number plate of his scooter is not proper and that he will have to go with him to his senior's office.

The accused then took him towards Kailash Colony in his two wheeler. Verma then asked him to remove his gold chain and ring saying his seniors will get infuriated.

The complainant removed his gold chain and ring and gave to that person who wrapped in his handkerchief and threw it in the nearby park. Thereafter, the accused asked complainant to pick up his articles, the official said.

He went inside the park and found only his handkerchief and his gold chain and ring were missing. When he came out of the park, he found that Verma was not there.

Police set up a team and interactions with the complainants disclosed that the accused has a tattoo Surekha' engraved on his right hand.

Recently, they received a tip-off about a person having similar description and riding on a scooter roaming in Nehru Place and claiming himself to be police official of Crime Branch to various persons visiting US Visa Centre there.

A police team swung into action and apprehended the accused near Hotel Eros Intercontinental.

During interrogation, the accused broke down and admitted to have committed the offences.

He also said he has duped many more people and disposed off the gold jewellery taken from them through a gold smith, Eliyas. Police then arrested Eliyaz.