Investigation of several recent incidents has revealed that there has been a major change in the method of organized extortion in India. This has presented a new challenge to law enforcement agencies. Criminal networks are now increasingly using digital communications, interstate coordination and alleged foreign contacts to target entrepreneurs, business leaders and other high-profile individuals.
One such case pertains to an alleged attempt to extort ₹10 crore from Sahil Luthra, a defense sector entrepreneur and managing director of Vijayan Trishul Defense Solutions Private Limited (VTDS). According to investigators, Luthra allegedly received threats demanding money through WhatsApp messages and international calls. During the investigation, Delhi Police arrested three accused, including a former Punjab Police officer.
Help in arranging mobile and SIM
Investigators allege that he helped arrange the mobile phones and SIM cards used to make the threats. The agencies are also investigating possible foreign communication links in this case. Investigators say digital platforms, Internet-based calling services and cross-border communication channels are making investigating such cases more complex than traditional organized crime.
A similar pattern was seen in another investigation conducted recently in Gurugram. After the firing incident outside the house of a businessman, the police took action against the alleged gang members. Investigators indicated that the attack was likely directed by operators based outside India, reflecting the growing threat that local criminals are allegedly acting on instructions received through international communications networks.
The matter is still under investigation
Similarly, a case under investigation in the United States has also drawn attention to the changing methods adopted by organized crime groups. A serving Punjab Police officer is accused of assisting an organized criminal network in an extortion case, according to allegations made public by US prosecutors. This matter is still under investigation and a judicial decision has not yet been taken on the charges.
Although all these incidents involve different persons, places and circumstances, investigators say that many similar characteristics are seen in them. Threats are now increasingly being made through encrypted messaging platforms, VoIP calls and spoofed international numbers, while financial transactions and communications often extend beyond state and national borders. Such procedures make investigations more complex and require coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies.
Security experts say entrepreneurs and businessmen working in defense manufacturing, infrastructure, real estate and other high-value industries are becoming more vulnerable to such criminals due to their public identities and business profiles. The objective of such criminal activities is not only to obtain financial benefits but also to create fear among the victims and force them to comply with illegal demands.
Action continues against organized criminal groups
Recent investigations also show that the capacity of Indian law enforcement agencies to combat organized crime is continuously strengthening. The arrests in the Sahil Luthra case, the ongoing crackdown against organized criminal groups in various states and the increased use of cyber forensics, technical surveillance and inter-agency cooperation reflect a more coordinated approach to tackling these crimes.
Experts believe that equally coordinated strategies are needed to effectively deal with the changing nature of organized extortion. There is an increasing need for closer cooperation between state police forces, specialized cyber crime units, central investigative agencies and, when necessary, international law enforcement agencies in matters involving digital threats, inter-state operations and alleged foreign contacts.
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