POLICE ALLEGE PAKISTAN-BASED HANDLERS WERE INVOLVED IN THREATS AND A CONSPIRACY TO KILL COMPLAINANT
Naresh Kumar/Malerkotla
Malerkotla police have busted an alleged cross-border extortion and death-threat network involving Pakistan-based handlers, arresting two local men and apprehending a minor in connection with a conspiracy to target a local resident, officials said on Sunday.
The case came to light following a complaint about repeated WhatsApp calls from foreign numbers, through which the caller allegedly demanded money and threatened to kill the complainant if the demand was not met.
According to police, the accused allegedly conducted reconnaissance of the complainant’s house, recorded a video of the premises and shared the footage and location details with their handlers in Pakistan, facilitating a suspected conspiracy to murder him.
The arrested accused have been identified as Numan Ansari, son of Nushant Ahmad, a resident of the area near Gulzar Hospital on Ludhiana Bypass in Malerkotla, and Mohammad Gulfam, son of Raees Ahmad, a resident of Pandian Mohalla in the town. A minor was also apprehended in the case.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said the operation was planned and executed by the district cyber team under the supervision of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Investigation).
The complainant, identified as Lavneet Singh, son of Daljit Singh and a resident of Dhuri Road in Malerkotla, approached the police after receiving repeated WhatsApp calls from foreign numbers. The callers allegedly sent him a video and the location of his house, demanded money and threatened to kill him if he failed to comply.
Following the complaint, the police launched a technical and field investigation to identify those involved in the alleged extortion and threats.The investigation included an examination of CCTV footage, which helped the police identify the individuals suspected of recording the video of the complainant’s house. The accused persons’ mobile phones were also subjected to technical analysis, which allegedly revealed links with Pakistan-based handlers, the SSP said.
An FIR (No. 28) was registered on October 10, 2026, at the Cyber Crime police station in Malerkotla under Sections 308(4) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), based on the complainant’s statement.
According to the police investigation, Numan Ansari allegedly came into contact with Pakistan-based handlers through Instagram before communicating with them on WhatsApp. He allegedly conspired with Mohammad Gulfam to arrange the complainant’s murder through the handlers based in Pakistan.
Police alleged that Gulfam, who was in contact with the handlers through Ansari, recorded a video of the complainant’s house and shared its location with them. The police said Gulfam had an old enmity with the complainant.
The SSP further said that the minor was allegedly accompanying the two accused and was riding the motorcycle when the video of the house was recorded. Investigators have alleged that the minor was aware of the conspiracy.
The two arrested accused will be produced before a competent court, where the police will seek their remand for further investigation into the network and its wider connections, Khakh said. The minor will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, and proceedings against him will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, he added.
