What seemed like a routine business visit turned into a tightly coordinated blackmail plot in which hype, timing, and familiarity were used as tools. Delhi-based IAS training director was allegedly lured to Bhopal, held captive in a rented apartment and forced to move $1.89 crore, and the accused even organized a concert for Sundarkand to hide her calls for help, according to police statements.
How the crime unfolded
Police said the plan relied on trust and misinformation. Priyank Sharma, identified as the main conspirator and a former student associated with the academy, invited principal Shubhra Ranjan to the city on April 29 on the pretext of expanding operations and holding a seminar, news agency PTI reported. She was taken from the hotel where she was staying to an apartment in Bagswanya, which had allegedly been rented just a day before to commit the crime, according to a separate report by NDTV.
Read also | A Jharkhand bank robbery has come to light, and the alleged leader of the interstate gang has been detained in Varanasi
Once inside, armed accomplices were already there. The victim was threatened with a weapon and forced to be transported $Police said Rs 1.89 crore was in multiple bank accounts. The accused used pistols and homemade firearms, and even resorted to intimidation methods, including forcing her to record a video clip to deter her from approaching the authorities.
Officers said an unusual element of the execution was the use of a religious gathering as a sound cover. The agency’s report indicated that a concert by Sundarkand was organized at the apartment specifically to eliminate any noise from inside and ensure that the neighbors did not suspect anything.
Read also | 4 family members held hostage, robbed by new housemaid at Golf Links in Delhi
The accused allegedly recruited accomplices from places like Datia and Rewa to carry out the operation, suggesting that this was a deliberate plan. The NDTV report said that Sharma believed that the victim had significant financial resources and hence planned the crime accordingly.
After the incident, the victim contacted the police on April 30, prompting them to take immediate action. The authorities froze the beneficiaries’ bank accounts to prevent the withdrawal of funds and began tracking down the suspects using technical evidence.
Read also | $50 thousand extortion case”> Goldie Brar’s father gets bail $An extortion case worth 50 thousand
In a dramatic turn, police said Sharma tried to evade arrest by admitting himself to AIIMS Bhopal due to illness, but was arrested from the hospital after doctors confirmed that his condition was stable. Officials added that his family made a noise during the arrest.
Police teams led by Commissioner Sanjay Kumar and Additional Commissioner Monica Shukla conducted multiple raids and arrested six accused, including Sharma, from different locations. The others have been identified as Rohit Malviya, Deepak Bhagat, Vikas alias Vicky Dahiya, Kunal Yadav and Pankaj Ahirwar, while one of the accused is still absconding and the role of another person is being investigated.
The authorities said that the weapon used in the crime was recovered along with other materials, and work is underway to return the frozen funds to the victim.
(With inputs from PTI)
