Bangalore:
It was when the suspected extortionist failed to turn up to collect the money that the blackmailed businessman, Atul Gala, 42, approached the police.
Gala waited for about 30 minutes with the money at JC Nagar for a motorcycle-borne man on Wednesday. When the man did not arrive to collect the amount, Rs 2 lakh, he walked in to the nearest police station and lodged a complaint.
The suspected extortionists had threatened to inform Gala's family that he had been misbehaving with the female staff working in his firm, RR Imaging.
Gala reportedly told the police that he had received the first threat call on October 9, followed by another on the past Tuesday. The latest call was made in a female voice. She also threatened to harm his family.
"They said that if I don't heed their demands, a letter would be sent to my family and the staff, tarnishing my image. Later, a female voice called on my landline, demanding Rs10 lakh," he told the police.
The businessman ignored the threat initially, but on October 26, they threatened to harm his family if he failed to pay up.
Gala bargained, and agreed to pay Rs 2 lakh. The woman caller instructed him to wait near the TV Tower in JC Nagar with the money.
"I was told that a person on a two-wheeler would collect the money from me. I followed her instructions and waited for about 30 minutes," he said.
When the man failed to turn up, Gala panicked, and lodged a complaint with the JC Nagar police. An investigating officer said he was suspecting that a prankster might have made the anonymous calls.
Police filed a case of extortion, insult, provocation and criminal intimidation and were investigating.
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