Former Guj minister claims extortion threat, given security

A former Gujarat minister today claimed that a gangster had demanded Rs 10 lakh from him, following which he was given police protection.

Bimal Shah, who was a minister of state in the Keshubhai Patel government, said he received the extortion message four days ago from a man who identified himself as Ali Budesh, a gangster once linked to fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim.

Shah said that he received a WhatsApp missed call four days ago at around 2am and when he checked the call, he found a message demanding Rs 10 lakh as protection money.

The sender had also issued a threat that Shah's kin would be eliminated if the money was not arranged within three days.

"I approached the Home ministry which informed the city Crime Branch. A case has been registered. The Crime Branch has provided us security cover," Shah said.

A senior police official, however, refused to comment on the incident.

Shah, who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls as an Independent candidate from Kapadvanj, had quit the BJP in 2012.

He rejoined the party in 2014 but was expelled again in 2017.

A man claiming to be Ali Budesh has sent such extortion messages to several MLAs in Uttar Pradesh and the government there, on May 23, formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter.