Two arrested for extorting money

NEW DELHI - Two people who would extort money from people posing as BSES officials have been arrested, said police Monday.

The accused Madan Lal Sharma (51) and Vikas (30) have been arrested from Vasant Kunj in South Delhi.

Police caught the two after acting on a complaint filed by Gaurav Pratap Singh, general manager, BSES, Vasant Kunj who informed them that in BSES has received several complaints that some people are cheating residents of Vasant Kunj by impersonating as BSES officials.

“During interrogation, the accused confessed that they had earlier worked with contractors of BSES and were familiar with its functioning,” said police.

They would visit various localities and choose meters having some faults and paste a notice of “Seal Tampered” on the meter. “After sometime, they used to contact the consumers and threaten that they were from the Enforcement Department of BSES and a fine of Rs.1 to 2 lakhs would be imposed on them,” said police.

They also threatened customers that they would be sent to jail for tampering with the meter. After creating fear in the minds of consumers, they used to extort money from them.

“Sharma is a pensioner from Air Force. He has earlier worked with a contractor of BSES. He has been committing such crimes since 2006 and had been arrested by Rajouri Garden Police for a similar offence,” said a senior police official.

Vikas is working as a BSES contractor and used to take contracts for installing meters.