Fraudsters Used Fake News Threats to Blackmail Healthcare Workers
Raipur: A gang pretending to be journalists has been arrested for extorting money from doctors and healthcare workers by threatening to publish false reports to tarnish their reputations. The gang also falsely claimed to represent Health Secretary IAS Amit Kataria to intimidate victims.
Key Accused Used Voice Changer to Impersonate a Woman
The arrested individuals—Aman Bisaria, Riyaz Attari, Feroz Khan, and Ajay Jangde—ran the extortion racket by pressuring victims to pay bribes to avoid negative publicity and potential suspension. Bisaria, the key accused, even used a voice changer app to impersonate a woman while making threats.
Attari, the director of an online news portal, along with Khan and Jangde, allegedly fabricated reports targeting doctors and coerced them into paying money. However, investigations revealed that none of them held official journalist credentials, confirming that they were fraudsters.
Healthcare Workers Filed Complaints, Leading to Arrests
The operation came to light after two healthcare workers filed police complaints detailing their experiences:
- A rural medical assistant at Bhimbhori Primary Health Centre reported that the gang extorted ₹10,000 from him by threatening suspension.
- An eye assistant officer at Pondi Primary Health Centre revealed he was mentally harassed and forced to pay ₹32,000 to prevent the gang from filing fake complaints against him.
Police Urge Citizens to Report Similar Frauds
Based on the complaints, the police launched an investigation and arrested all four accused under relevant legal sections. Authorities have urged citizens to report any instances of fraud, harassment, or extortion without hesitation.
