NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday alleged that gangsters in Delhi were threatening party MLAs Sanjeev Jha and Ajay Dutt and demanding Rs 5-10 lakh as “protection money”.
In a joint press conference with the two legislators, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh claimed that despite registering FIR and making complaints to Delhi Police commissioner, the MLAs were getting threats over phone calls and messages.
“The duo has got 24 such calls from gangsters since June 20,” Singh said.
A senior police officer, however, said that FIRs had been registered as per the allegations made by the legislators.
“The MLAs are being asked by gangsters to pay Rs 5-10 lakh as ransom to protect the lives of their family members. What is the central government’s Delhi Police doing?” the Rajya Sabha member asked.
“We were informed that the case would be sent to the special cell. Despite this, another AAP MLA received the extortion call from the same person,” Singh alleged.
Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha said the threat calls and messages started coming from June 20. “I have been receiving audio recordings, phone calls and messages constantly throughout the day since then and ‘protection money’ is being demanded by the caller,” Jha said.
Ambedkar Nagar MLA Ajay Dutt claimed gangster Vicky Cobra had been sending messages to his office as well as on WhatsApp asking for Rs 5 lakh. “I first got a threat call on June 22. The caller then sent me a threatening audio on WhatsApp. They also sent me a written note demanding money along with a photo showing a gun,” Dutt said.
The special cell said the investigation was under way to identify the culprits. “On the complaint of Sanjeev Jha regarding extortion by a caller using an international number, an FIR under applicable sections of extortion and IT Act was registered on June 21. Today, a similar complaint was received from Ajay Dutt, who allegedly received an extortion threat from the same international number. Another case under sections of extortion and IT Act has been registered,” said an official.
