Gang posing as cops ‘kidnap, extort’ Surat man, 4 held

A WEB developer in Surat was allegedly kidnapped by a gang who posed as Gandhinagar police personnel and extorted Rs 4 lakh from him, police said on Friday. Police arrested four suspects in the case, with officers saying that at least three others are on the run.

Police said 22-year-old Mihit Desai, a resident of Pasodara area in Surat who hails from Amreli, runs an office on a partnership basis at Sarthana. Police said that last Saturday, three youths allegedly barged into the office. One of them snatched Desai's mobile phone and locked the door from inside, claiming to him and three of his employees that they were police personnel.

The accused demanded some tax-related details and documents linked to the firm, which Desai could not provide. They then threatened him and his staff over running an “illegal” business, and made them sit in a car in which three others were present. While two of the accused stayed back at Desai's office, the others left the spot with Desai in the car.

As per Desai's complaint at the Sarthana police station, on Thursday, the accused warned that Desai and his partner would have to pay Rs 10 lakh, failing which they would file a “forgery case and send the two to jail”. After discussion, they settled on Rs 8 lakh.