The Delhi Police have successfully thwarted an extortion attempt, arresting a 32-year-old man who allegedly demanded Rs 40 lakh from his former employer using spoofed international WhatsApp numbers. The suspect, Ramzan Ali Hashmi, a resident of Chhatarpur, was apprehended on Friday following an investigation.
The case came to light after Manoj Kumar Kashyap, who lives in Motia Khan, Paharganj, filed a complaint on October 26. He reported that he and his wife had been receiving threatening calls and messages since October 10. Initially, Kashyap’s wife got a WhatsApp call from an international number. This was soon followed by numerous threatening messages directed at her husband.
Kashyap began to receive calls from multiple numbers demanding Rs 40 lakh in exchange for his family’s safety. Consequently, a case under the Indian Penal Code pertaining to extortion and criminal intimidation was registered at the Paharganj police station.
Through rigorous technical investigation, police traced the IP address linked to the WhatsApp calls and identified the number originally used by the caller. The investigation led them to the location of the suspect in Chhattarpur, South Delhi, where a prompt raid resulted in his arrest.
During questioning, Hashmi admitted to making the extortion calls. He disclosed that he had worked in Kashyap’s factory in Naraina and was familiar with the complainant’s personal and professional background. He cited personal debts and expenses related to his upcoming marriage as the motives behind his actions. The authorities also recovered two mobile phones and a laptop used for making the spoofed international calls and messages.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-man-spoofed-whatsapp-numbers-extort-ex-boss-arrested-10339484/
Category: Cities,Delhi
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Publish Date: 2025-11-01 10:14:00
