Agra: A man in Agra was arrested on charges of extortion and issuing murder threats in the name of former MLA Atiq Ahmed. The accused, identified as Ravi Prakash Sharma, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday.
According to reports, Sharma was extorting money from a businessman in Agra and had demanded a sum of Rs. 25 lakhs. He had claimed that the money was to be given to Atiq Ahmed, a former MLA and a notorious criminal who is currently serving a jail term.
Sharma had also threatened the businessman with murder if he did not comply with his demands. The businessman then filed a complaint with the STF, which launched an investigation and subsequently arrested Sharma.
During the interrogation, Sharma admitted to the charges and revealed that he had no connection with Atiq Ahmed. He had used Ahmed’s name to intimidate the businessman and extort money from him. Sharma had also made similar extortion attempts in the past.
Atiq Ahmed, who has been convicted in several criminal cases, is currently lodged in a jail in Uttar Pradesh. He was a member of the Samajwadi Party and had served as an MLA from 2002 to 2007. He is known for his criminal activities and is infamous for his involvement in various cases of murder, extortion, and land grabbing.
The Agra police have warned the public to be cautious of such extortion attempts and to report any such incidents to the authorities. They have also assured that strict action will be taken against anyone found involved in such criminal activities.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of extortion cases in the state, with criminals often using the names of notorious criminals to intimidate and extort money from people. The police have been taking strict action against such criminals, but the problem persists.
The incident highlights the need for stricter laws and measures to tackle extortion and other forms of organized crime in the state. The authorities must take proactive steps to ensure the safety and security of the public and to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.