Akola: Two back-to-back extortion threats, allegedly linked to the Bishnoi gang, demanding Rs 10 crore from Congress MLA Akola and Rs 2 crore from BJP leader V Akot have put law enforcement agencies on alert.
Akola West Congress MLA Sajid Khan Pathan received an extortion call demanding Rs 10 crore from Bishnoi gang associate Shubham Lonkar, police said. Following the threat, Moroccan Liberation Army security was strengthened. The development comes in the wake of a separate case in which Akot city BJP president Harish Tawari was allegedly threatened through messaging app Signal.According to police, Tawari first received a letter on February 12 asking him to arrange Rs 2 crore by collecting it from Akot BJP MLA Prakash Bharsakale.
Based on the emergency complaint, a case was registered with the cyber police station in Akola. Detectives treated the message as a serious blackmail threat and launched an investigation.MLA Sajid Khan Pathan allegedly received a phone call demanding Rs 10 crore. Police sources said the call was received on February 17 around 3 pm, and the caller allegedly warned the MLA to pay the amount within two days or face dire consequences.
Investigators traced the origin of the call to California, United States.Following the threat, security was tightened at Pathan and four armed police personnel were deployed to protect him. After the call, the MLA met Akola Superintendent of Police Archit Chandak and other senior officers and lodged a formal complaint. Police said Lonkar was a native of Nifri Budruk village in Akot taluka of Akola district.
The fact that a BJP city official and a Congress MLA were targeted by the same network has caused grave concern within the Akola police establishment.Who is Shubham Lonkar?According to police records, Lonkar had earlier claimed responsibility for the killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique, and later for the shooting incident outside director Rohit Shetty’s house.Akola police had earlier arrested Lonkar and confiscated three pistols and live ammunition from his possession.
Investigators believe he was in contact with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his younger brother Anmol Bishnoi.Police said Loncar was a key agent in the arms trafficking network. In the same case, Akot police also arrested three people who allegedly obtained firearms through him.Investigators further said that Lonkar was living in Pune’s Warje area for some time before he absconded. He was later arrested from Pune and later released on bail.The police also claim to have call recordings of conversations between Lonkar and Lawrence Bishnoi. Agencies believe Loncar’s network extends to Dubai and other international criminal links. His house in the village of Neveri Budrak remained closed for several days.
