Lawmakers in Rajasthan were on Saturday taken aback after twenty eight of them received a threat message demanding a ransom of Rs 60 lakh from each of them. The Police Department came into action soon after the lawmakers informed them about similar messages sent to all on WhatsApp.
Top officials supervised the operation and soon the police nabbed the person who had sent the message from Ajmer's Dargah Market on Monday morning. The police then arrested the accused and reached Jaipur. However, the MLAs and leaders who received threatening messages on the phone denied giving any further information into the case.
The message that was received by the MLAs read: "I have a deal to kill you. If you want to live, send Rs 60 lakh to the address given to you. If you do not give money, the consequences will be very bad. If you try to act smart, none of you will be alive to see Diwali or the upcoming elections. The address is - Siddi Sweets near Qureshi hotel. A girl named Ruby Sheikh will meet you at Dargah Bazar. As soon as I get the money, you will get the name of the killer."
The man who sent the messages has been identified as Yusuf Hussain Mohammed, a resident of Nashik in Maharashtra. He used to stay in Ajmer's Dargah Market and work as a waiter in a hotel.
After the police seized the accused's mobile phone and investigated it, they found the messages as well as the numbers of the 28 legislators saved on the handset.
As of now, only one MLA Tarun Rai Kaka has lodged a complaint in the Chauhan police station of Barmer in connection with the case. The police had earlier been alerted by a lady MLA.
According to sources, the personal assistant of the woman MLA informed the police at the Manakchouk area at about 10 pm on Saturday about the messages. The police took senior officials in the loop and began an investigation into the case.
The number from which the messages were sent was traced to Lokesh Ajmer's Dargah Market. Two police teams were sent to the location to look for the accused. The teams searched the area and arrested the accused.
