Extortion racket being run from inside Tihar jail busted by Delhi police

Representational image. AFP[/caption]"A team of Special Cell led by Inspector Brahmjeet Singh under the supervision of ACP Ved Prakash, has busted an extortion racket being operated from Tihar Jail. Seven persons involved in the crime have been arrested. "They had hatched a conspiracy to extort Rs 50 lakhs from a businessman in Bawana, Delhi," DCP, Special Cell, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav told reporters in New Delhi. Two of the accused were arrested on 16 July after a trap was laid on the basis of a tip-off, Yadav said, adding that one .32 bore and a country-made pistol were recovered from them. The remaining five gang members were already lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with various cases. During interrogation, the accused revealed how the whole operation to extort Rs 50 lakh from the businessman was planned and executed, he said, adding that police had started investigating the case after an FIR was lodged by the businessman's servant. They had also fired shots at the businessman's establishment to scare him while delivering the extortion note. Meanwhile, further probes into the case are on, the DCP added.PTI