Andhra Pradesh police have dismantled a honey-trap extortion racket in Anantapur, arresting five individuals for allegedly using threats and coercion to extort money from victims.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, accusing him of systematic extortion and money laundering through a network of bank accounts. Kharat allegedly rotated over Rs 47 crore of ill-gotten money through 60 bank accounts, deceiving devotees by claiming divine powers.
Thane police have established a 23-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar, who was shot and stabbed. One person has been arrested, and the victim's son has accused former mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband, who deny the allegations.
Unless the Congress stops seeing a CIA and RSS in everyone who disagrees with it, many well-meaning people will find it difficult to rub shoulders with Rahul Gandhi, notes M R Narayan Swamy.
Pimpri Chinchwad police have arrested three individuals with alleged links to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang from Uttarakhand for firing at a furniture shop owner in Pune after he refused to pay extortion money.
Former Enforcement Directorate deputy director Niranjan Singh resigned from the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De just five days after joining, citing "non-negotiable" differences. Singh, who had joined to tackle drug menace and corruption, did not specify the issues but emphasised adherence to the Constitution. The party is led by the incarcerated Amritpal Singh.
A Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner, Santanu Sinha Biswas, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a probe into alleged land-grabbing and extortion. Biswas, previously an officer-in-charge of Kalighat Police Station, had previously avoided ED summons. A lookout circular was issued to prevent him from leaving the country.
The Delhi High Court has denied bail to Leena Paulose in a Rs 200 crore extortion case involving her husband, Sukesh Chandrasekhar, but granted her reprieve in a related money laundering case.
The CBI coordinated the extradition of Abhay Rana, wanted by Haryana Police for extortion, criminal intimidation, and attempt to murder, from Portugal.
Bihar police are investigating multiple past incidents of molestation and moral policing across several districts, including Kishanganj, Banka, and Samastipur, following recent public outrage. These cases, some months or even a year old, involve vigilante groups harassing individuals, often for inter-faith interactions, and have led to arrests and significant political controversy.
A man was arrested for planting an improvised explosive device in a private hospital in Pune in an attempt to extort money from the facility, according to police.
Manipur police have arrested six militants, including a minor, from the banned United People's Party of Kangleipak (UPPK) across Imphal Valley districts. The arrests were made in connection with extortion, intimidation, and kidnapping. Security forces also conducted a separate operation, seizing arms and ammunition and destroying bunkers in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts.
Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force has arrested Karamveer Singh, a close associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, at Delhi's IGI Airport after his deportation from Canada. Singh is accused of providing logistical support to Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence's younger brother, and has a history of serious crimes. This arrest is considered a significant step against transnational organised crime, following another recent extradition from Moldova.
The Tamil Nadu government has constituted an all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the sensational POCSO case against granite baron R Veeramani (84), who is accused of sexual abuse of minor girls. The case has led to the easing out of two top IPS officers and allegations of delayed action and political interference.
The CBI has successfully extradited Mohammad Navas Kakkat Ismail from the UAE, who was wanted by Delhi Police in connection with an extortion case.
A Congress MLA in Madhya Pradesh has sparked a major controversy by alleging that staff at Rewa's Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital mortuary sexually abused the corpses of "beautiful" women and extorted money for post-mortems. The hospital administration has vehemently denied these claims as baseless, while the MLA insists an investigation will reveal the truth, citing a past incident where employees were sacked for irregularities.
A tenant in Delhi has been arrested along with two associates for allegedly staging an attempt on his own life to implicate a property owner in an extortion plot and delay eviction, police said.
President Droupadi Murmu has returned the West Bengal government's proposed anti-goonda bill for reconsideration. The objection stems from a provision in the bill that may overlap with a central anti-narcotics law, specifically concerning offences under the NDPS Act, 1985, and the PITNDPS Act, 1988. This raises concerns about potential duplication and repugnancy under Article 254 of the Constitution.
A Thane court sentenced a convict serving a life term in a UP prison to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for orchestrating a 2015 extortion-linked firing incident against a local businessman from behind bars.
A woman in Saharanpur district has accused police personnel of illegally detaining her husband, subjecting him to harassment, and extorting Rs 80,000 for his release. Police are investigating the allegations, stating they appear false based on initial findings.
A man wanted in several criminal cases has been arrested for allegedly demanding Rs 1.2 crore as extortion from a land dealer in Jharkhand's Palamu district.
Delhi Police have apprehended the cousin of a man stabbed to death during an armed robbery, along with other accused and a juvenile. The cousin allegedly tipped off assailants about the victim's cash movements. The police used extensive CCTV and ANPR analysis to trace the culprits, recovering a significant portion of the stolen cash. Three other accused remain at large.
A man was arrested for allegedly planting an improvised explosive device (IED) in a private hospital in Pune to extort money for his medical treatment. Police confirmed there was no terrorism angle to the case.
Ghaziabad police arrested three individuals, including a woman, for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 10 crore from a local builder. The accused were former business associates and employees of the victim.
A man seeking a second marriage was allegedly duped of Rs 1.6 lakh by a matchmaker and a 'bride' who vanished shortly after their wedding rituals. The groom was sent to buy sweets, and upon his return, found the bride and accomplices had fled. Police have arrested the matchmaker and another accused in connection with the fraud.
Lucknow police have arrested two individuals for allegedly abducting a youth and holding him captive for four days over an unpaid mobile phone instalment. The victim was reportedly forced to do labour work and had one unit of blood drawn against his will and sold. The accused, one of whom worked for a credit services company, also allegedly extorted money online from the victim.
A jeweller in Mihinpurwa, Uttar Pradesh, received an extortion letter demanding Rs 5 lakh, purportedly from gangsters Lawrence and Anmol Bishnoi, triggering police investigation and trader concerns.
An additional collector in Akola, Maharashtra, has been booked for allegedly extorting money from a stone crusher owner and threatening others. The official denies the allegations, and an investigation is underway.
A 41-year-old man in Thane has alleged that four individuals kidnapped him, assaulted him, and forced him to transfer Rs 47.25 lakh, blaming him for stock market losses incurred by their clients. The accused are middlemen who invested through the complainant.
Police in Kerala have filed an extortion case against an online loan app following the death of a student who allegedly faced harassment and intimidation over loan recovery.
Police in Seraikela, Jharkhand, have arrested seven individuals for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 5 lakh from a construction company building a culvert in Pitaklaag village. The suspects threatened workers and supervisors, demanding money to allow the construction to continue.
Jharkhand CID arrests a man from Bihar for allegedly extorting over Rs 10 lakh from an elderly person through 'digital arrest'.
Three police personnel in Pune, including a social media influencer, are accused of extorting a college principal by threatening to falsely implicate him in a sexual harassment case.
Gurugram police have arrested two individuals allegedly involved in an extortion racket targeting street vendors and small shopkeepers. The arrests followed a complaint by a paan shop owner, and investigations revealed a history of criminal activity by the accused.
Police have recovered a motorcycle allegedly used in the killing of a 28-year-old gym trainer in Aya Nagar. Two suspects have been identified, and raids are underway to apprehend them. The investigation is delving into a long-running rivalry involving previous murders and potential organised crime links.
Three months after winning power in West Bengal, the BJP is confronting a significant political challenge: how to expand and consolidate its presence without adopting the very political culture it campaigned against, particularly concerning the integration of former TMC leaders and the need to curb practices like extortion and intimidation among its own cadres.
Three railway police officers in Mumbai have been dismissed from service after being found guilty of extorting money and gold from a jeweller at Mumbai Central station.
Police in Thane have arrested two individuals for allegedly extorting money from a sweets businessman. The suspects were caught accepting a reduced payment as part of the extortion scheme.
Former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal has surrendered before a Goa court to begin serving his 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence in a 2013 sexual assault case. This follows a Supreme Court directive and his conviction by the Bombay High Court, which overturned his earlier acquittal. Tejpal's appeal against his conviction is slated for a Supreme Court hearing in September 2026.
Jailed gangster Ravi Pujari has been arrested by Thane Police in connection with a 2017 extortion and firing case. He was produced before a special MCOCA court and remanded in police custody until March 27.
