3 arrested for extorting money by posing as Pak terrorists

Cuttack: After busting the racket involved in extortion of money by making calls through SIM box in Berhampur, police, on Friday, arrested three persons in connection with extortion of money in the similar fashion in Cuttack.

A team of Chhattisgarh and Odisha police arrested the trio, identified as Dheeraj Rao, Swapnajit Pradhan and Janmajay Das, for extorting money by posing themselves as Pakistani terrorists.

As per reports, the trio was using SIM boxes to make calls to extort money. They used to pose themselves as members of a Pakistan-based terror outfit, said Cuttack DCP, Akhileshvar Singh.

Also Read: Underworld link in Odisha: Crime Branch takes up SIM box seizure case

Among the arrested, the mastermind behind the crime Dheeraj Rao is believed to be a resident of Bihar while the other two are from Odisha who were working in a private nursing home here.

Police have seized SIM boxes and 104 ATM cards from their possession.

A couple of months ago, Mumbai police had arrested four persons from Berhampur for operating SIM boxes and extorting money.