The Delhi Police have dismantled an alleged interstate extortion ring responsible for a brazen extortion-cum-firing incident targeting a builder in central Delhi's Paharganj area. Five individuals have been arrested, including the purported mastermind, a local builder-hotelier, and a history-sheeter from Uttar Pradesh, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Incident Details and Arrests
The case stems from an incident on June 29, when an armed man entered the office of a private builder in Arya Nagar, Paharganj, and demanded Rs 30 lakh as extortion money, including an immediate payment of Rs 5 lakh. According to police, the accused threatened the builder by stating that his associates were nearby and would act on his signal if the demand was refused. When the complainant declined, the accused allegedly opened fire with intent to kill before fleeing. An FIR was registered at Nabi Karim police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
Investigators revealed that the firing was not an isolated act but part of a meticulously planned conspiracy involving an interstate gang operating with local facilitators. The prime accused, Pawan Kumar, alias Pawan Pehelwan (23), a resident of Bahadurgarh, Haryana, projected himself as a financier but aimed to establish himself as a feared extortionist in Paharganj by terrorising businessmen.
Role of Local Facilitators
The investigation uncovered the involvement of Pawan Kumar, alias Pawan Chetli (46), a local builder and hotelier, and his associate Rajesh Sachdeva (55), alias Sonu Mota. Police allege that the duo arranged accommodation and meeting venues for the gang, provided logistical support, and shared information about the complainant and his family. While Pawan Pehelwan sought to build an extortion network, Pawan Chetli intended to exploit the crime to settle commercial rivalries and strengthen his influence among local builders.
Police further claimed that Chetli suggested targeting the complainant's son as a vulnerable point to exert pressure on the family. The investigation established that the accused conducted reconnaissance of the complainant's office and held multiple meetings in Delhi before executing the plan.
Breakthrough and Arrests
The first breakthrough came with the arrest of Vishal Bhati (21), alias Bhanja, whose interrogation, combined with other evidence, enabled investigators to identify the remaining conspirators and unravel the larger conspiracy. During the investigation, police learned that another conspirator, Shakti Singh (41), had fled to Kolkata after the incident. A joint team from Nabi Karim police station and the Special Staff, Central District, tracked him down, secured his transit remand from a Kolkata court, and brought him to Delhi for further investigation.
Prime accused Pawan Pehelwan continued to evade arrest even after the other conspirators were apprehended. While absconding, he allegedly uploaded videos on Instagram displaying firearms, claiming responsibility for the firing, threatening the complainant, and openly challenging law enforcement agencies.
Arrest of the Mastermind
Acting on specific intelligence regarding his movement near Kabristan in IP Estate, a Special Staff team laid a trap. According to police, the accused allegedly opened fire while attempting to escape, prompting retaliatory fire in self-defence. He sustained bullet injuries in both legs during the exchange and was arrested, after which he was shifted to a hospital for treatment.
