SAHIWAL: Pakpattan police claimed to have busted an inter-district gang run by a constable, allegedly involved in blackmailing wealthy businessmen and extorting money from them by making their objectionable videos, booking its 17 members, including five women.

According to city police in charge Station House Officer Rana Iqbal, the gang was run by police constable Imran and his accomplice Mahvish Bibi through a network of 15 others.

He said the suspects had been booked (FIR No 49/19) under sections 365 & 352 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Pakpattan District Police Officer Mariya Mahmood describing the gang’s modus operandi said its ringleader Imran would mark wealthy businessmen of the area and trap them through his women accomplices, who used to befriend them by making calls on their mobile phones or through social media.

The gang members would then arrange intimate meetings between the women and the businessmen at a private place and make their objectionable videos, later using these to blackmail them and extort money, she added.

The DPO said the gang had been operative in Sahiwal and Pakpattan districts for the last two years.

Police sources said the scam surfaced when an Arifwala-based businessman, Mazhar Iqbal, was targeted by Imran and was made to pay Rs200,000. Later, the suspect demanded Rs800,000 more, threatening him to upload the video on social media if he refused to pay the amount.

Mr Iqbal lodged a complaint with the city police and a probe was launched into the matter, leading to busting of the gang.

Those booked include constable Imran, Bahawal Sher, Muhammad Rafiq, Fayyaz Joiya, Manzoor Ahmed, Rizwan, Sajjad, Muhammad Asif, Rana Muzaffar, Abbas, Akram, Mahvish, Tayyaba, Iqra, Soniya alias Sana and Nazia Bibi.

The sources said the police arrested Imran and Mahvish and were raiding different places to arrest other suspects.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2019