BHOPAL: A special investigation team (SIT) of the Madhya Pradesh Police has been constituted to probe all six cases of extortion threats received by businessmen in the name of Lawrence Bishnoi gang operative Harry Boxer within a month in various parts of the state.
Constituted by the state’s DGP Kailash Makwana, the SIT will work under the supervision of the state police’s additional director general of police-special task force (ADG-STF).
The nine-member STF will have a DIG-rank officer Rahul Lodha, who is currently the SP-Railways in Bhopal, three SP rank officers, including Rajesh Bhadoriya and Navin Chaudhary (STF) and Vaibhav Srivastava (Anti-Terrorism Squad Bhopal HQ), an additional SP rank officer and four deputy SP rank officers.
Based on businessmen’s complaints, six cases of extortion threats via WhatsApp calls and voice notes—linked to Lawrence Bishnoi gang operative Harry Boxer—have been registered across Indore, Khargone, Bhopal and Ashoknagar.
At least three arrests have so far been made in these cases, including 19-year-old Manish Jangid and Dinesh Suthar from Rajasthan and Pawan Sharma from Bhind.
A reward of Rs 10,000 has been announced by the SP of Ashoknagar for the arrest of Pradip Shukla, a key operative of the gang.
Case diaries of all six registered cases will be transferred by the concerned district police units and the Indore Police Crime Branch to the newly formed Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Six cases have been registered across four districts, including by the Indore Crime Branch, Tukoganj police station, Kishanganj-Mhow police station, Kasrawad police station in Khargone, Kolar Road police station in Bhopal and Ashoknagar Kotwali.
A businessman from Satna district has also reported to police in Mumbai about similar threats in the name of overseas gangster Harry Boxer, also known as Hari Chand Jaat, linked to the Bishnoi gang.
Investigations indicate a possible link to Ritik Boxer, a close aide of Anmol Bishnoi, who is the brother of jailed gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi. Ritik Boxer is currently lodged in a high-security jail in Ajmer.
Police said some businessmen have reported the threats, while others are believed to have not approached authorities.
The state police’s STF is already investigating the cases in coordination with counterparts in Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Officials said the formation of the SIT under STF supervision is expected to speed up the investigation.