BHOPAL: A key operative of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Pradip Shukla, has been arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Morena district, officials said on Thursday.
Shukla, who carried a reward of Rs 20,000, is suspected to be one of the masterminds behind extortion threats made to businessmen in the name of the gang’s overseas handler, Harry Boxer.
Shukla was active across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi, and played a crucial role in coordinating the extortion network. He is currently in SIT custody, and his interrogation is expected to reveal key details about the gang’s operations, including links to overseas operatives and other members such as Ritik Boxer, who are lodged in Rajasthan and other states.
Originally hailing from Agra district of Uttar Pradesh, Shukla is accused in over 12 cases of major crimes, including murder, attempt to murder and extortion.
Primary investigations have revealed that he was in direct touch with the gang’s major overseas man, Harry Boxer alias Hari Chand Jat, who is believed to be operating from North America.
While confirming the arrest, a senior officer of MP police in Bhopal, told the TNIE that ongoing investigations into the Rs 10 crore extortion call made in Harry Boxer’s name to a businessman in Ashoknagar district in March, has revealed that Pradip Shukla was the key man, who had hired a greenhorn, 19-year-old Jaipur youth Manish Jangid to terrorise the extortion target in Ashoknagar. He has also emerged as the key person who was funding Manish Jangid in Ashoknagar and was the main link between the youngster and Harry Boxer.
Possibility of Shukla having played a similar role in extortion threats to other businessmen too is under the SIT’s scanner.
This is the fourth arrest in the Ashoknagar district case. Prior to it three men, including Manish Jangid, Dinesh Suthar (Rajasthan) and Pawan Sharma (MP) have been arrested.
In another case related to a threat to a cotton businessman in Khargone district, so far 18 arrests have been made, including the prime link Rajpal Singh.
Following Pradip Sharma’s arrest from Morena on Thursday, at least 22 arrests have so far been made in the cases pertaining to threats of extortion (Rs 5 crore to Rs 15 crore) to at least six businessmen in Harry Boxer’s name in Indore, Bhopal, Ashoknagar and Khargone districts of MP.