Extortionists back in poll action

Kolkata: Extortionists, who keep the well-oiled machinery to spread terror ahead of elections, are back in business months ahead of the all-important Assembly polls in Bengal. Though a normal practice before any election, Lalbazar - now under a new chief - has decided to nip the fear strategy in the bud before it raises its ugly head.
The fact that threat calls have already been made even by those who are currently behind the bars is keeping the men in uniform on their toes.Kolkata Police is likely to write to the jail authorities to santize the compounds. In the last two days, two extortion cases have been cracked - one each by the south division and the detective department.
In the first case, New Alipore police has identified the role of dreaded extortionist Srikanta Yadav in calling up a New Alipore-based businessman and demanding a hefty around Rs 10 lakh. According to investigators, Srikanta is serving a term for a murder. Earlier, he had planned and executed the kidnapping of a businessman from South 24-Parganas. Two cellphones - one belonging to him and another his cell inmate Pawan Tiwari's - were recovered from his cell a few weeks ago.

"It is strange that despite checks and installation of jammers in jails, such calls are continuing unabated. We are taking him in police remand to know more about his way of functioning," said a senior investigating officer.
In the other incident, police have arrested Shankar Bharadwaj, 48, for allegedly demanding Rs 50 lakh from an alcohol bottling plant owner. He threatened he would kidnap his children if the demand was not met. Police said Shankar was employed with the business - Anil Kumar Jaiswal - for last 20 years. He was earning Rs 6,500 per month and was asking for a hike. But his request was turned down. Enraged, Shankar first sent a threat letter and then made two calls. Jaiswal had lodged a complaint with Sithee police station on January 6.
"Based on specific information, we arrested the accused from Parnasree on Monday night," said joint CP (crime) Debashish Boral. Sources say cops are investigating if the accused was being used as a front by a notorious Cossipore-based gang that reportedly enjoys patronage of the ruling party.
Just two months ago, New Alipore police had arrested an UP-based 'aspiring' extortionist for hatching an elaborate plan to extort money from south Kolkata businessmen and promoters. The accused, identified as Pradip Pandey alias Raju Pandey, 29, was picked up from eastern UP's Azamgarh for demanding Rs 2 crore from a promoter in Kolkata under the guise of gangster Dawood Ibrahim's dreaded D-company.
The series of arrests reflects a worrying trend in Kolkata. Police say extortion in south Kolkata had dropped drastically after the arrest of gangster Shiu Kumar Rajak, an aide of Sk Binod. "From Rajak's interrogation, we came to know of a racket that is active in south Kolkata and the city's southern fringes. We now have some names who we need to question in the new cases," said a senior officer.