JAIPUR: As many as six businessmen and traders in the city have received extortion calls in the past few months, according to sources in the crime branch of Jaipur Police.
The firing incident at Days Hotel on Saturday night has revived the memory and menace of the extortion syndicates run by gangsters Rohit Godara and Lawrence Bishnoi. Sources said the owner of a leading club was threatened by Godara for an extortion in a similar fashion around January 9. After the businessman lodged an FIR at Ashok Nagar police station, his security was beefed up, said a police officer. Godara is also suspected of being involved in the firing at Days Hotel on Saturday.
In November last, Godara was accused of threatening a businessman for an extortion of Rs 5 crore. Around the same time, an industrialist also alleged that Lawrence Bishnoi’s aides had called him for an extortion of Rs 2 crore.
Police officials said extortion calls have become a top nuisance for them. “We have set up a special team that includes cyber experts to track down the callers. Our teams are also searching for the local aides of Godara and other gangsters,” said an official. Police suspect that the calls were made through voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) numbers.
“After gangster Raju Theth’s murder, there is a sudden spurt in extortion calls asking traders to fork out money,” added the official.
Nearly 100 suspects with alleged ties to Godara and Bishnoi have been quizzed at different police stations in the city in recent months for allegedly providing local support to the gangsters.
The firing incident at Days Hotel on Saturday night has revived the memory and menace of the extortion syndicates run by gangsters Rohit Godara and Lawrence Bishnoi. Sources said the owner of a leading club was threatened by Godara for an extortion in a similar fashion around January 9. After the businessman lodged an FIR at Ashok Nagar police station, his security was beefed up, said a police officer. Godara is also suspected of being involved in the firing at Days Hotel on Saturday.
In November last, Godara was accused of threatening a businessman for an extortion of Rs 5 crore. Around the same time, an industrialist also alleged that Lawrence Bishnoi’s aides had called him for an extortion of Rs 2 crore.
Police officials said extortion calls have become a top nuisance for them. “We have set up a special team that includes cyber experts to track down the callers. Our teams are also searching for the local aides of Godara and other gangsters,” said an official. Police suspect that the calls were made through voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) numbers.
“After gangster Raju Theth’s murder, there is a sudden spurt in extortion calls asking traders to fork out money,” added the official.
Nearly 100 suspects with alleged ties to Godara and Bishnoi have been quizzed at different police stations in the city in recent months for allegedly providing local support to the gangsters.
