Gang posing as journalists extort doctors, 4 arrested
Raipur: In the latest form of fraud reported in the city, a gang posing as journalists has been arrested for extorting money from doctors and healthcare workers. The gang blackmailed its victims by threatening to release false news reports to damage their reputation and falsely claiming to represent Health Secretary IAS Amit Kataria.
The gang comprised four members including Aman Bisaria, Riyaz Attari, Feroz Khan, and Ajay Jangde. Bisaria is reported to be the key accused who used a voice changer app to impersonate a woman during calls, making the threats more convincing.
Attari, who is the director of an online news portal, along with Khan and Jangde, allegedly published false reports targeting doctors. They then pressured the victims into paying bribes to avoid negative publicity and potential suspension.
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However, during the investigation, the police discovered that none of the gang members held official journalist credentials from the Public Relations Department, confirming that they were fraudsters attempting to extort money from doctors and healthcare workers.
As per the latest Free Press Journal news report, the gang’s operation came to light after two healthcare workers filed complaints at the police station detailing their ordeal. Out of the two complainants, a rural medical assistant at Bhimbhori Primary Health Centre reported that the gang extorted Rs 10,000 from him by threatening to have him suspended.
Similarly, another complainant, an eye assistant officer at Pondi Primary Health Centre, revealed that he was mentally harassed and forced to pay Rs 32,000 to prevent the gang from filing fake complaints against him.
Acting on the complaints, the police initiated an investigation and arrested the four accused under relevant sections of the law. Following the busting of the gang, the police have urged citizens to report any similar incidents of fraud, harassment, or extortion without hesitation.
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