The Directorate of Enforcement’s Zone 1 in Kolkata has arrested an extortionist who had targeted Kolkata and the nearby area businessmen posing as an officer of ED. One Jiner Ali was arrested after search and interrogation by ED on Wednesday evening. He will be produced in the Special PMLA court in Kolkata on Thursday.
On Wednesday morning, searches were conducted in the case registered following a Kolkata police FIR against the accused extortionists, Jiner and Siner Ali. Multiple premises were searched after the ED officials found incriminating documents and evidences from premises linked to the duo.
The modus operandi followed by the accused came to light after an FIR was registered against them last month by a sandmining businessman from Raibrasani.
According to the businessman’s complaint, Jiner and Siner would approach his office, introducing themselves as ED officers, in 2023. Since then, on various occassions, they extorted Rs 1.5 crore from him, threatening him of ED action and of attaching his properties and freezing of bank accounts and even arrest. Fearing the threats, he succumbed and gave in, paying them the amount of money they demanded on various occasions.
Jiner also posed as the head of an anti-trafficking committee that had no valid credentials and was neither registered nor affiliated with any government organisation.
ED officials suspect that Jiner and Siner habitual offenders and would have targeted several other businessmen too.
