A sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district has allegedly received death threats and a ransom demand. Ritu Singh, who is posted in Dhampur tehsil, received the threats and demand for ₹15 lakh via messages on her mobile phone. The sender of the messages also referenced a high-profile murder case, believed to be the Tanzeem Ahmed murder case, in an attempt to create fear.
According to police officials, SDM Ritu Singh received several threatening messages from an unknown number around 2:50 p.m. on July 24. The messages included threats to her life and also contained barcodes, allegedly linked to a ransom payment. The sender demanded ₹15 lakh and cited the Tanzeem Ahmed murder case to instill fear. In her written complaint filed at Kotwali Dhampur police station, Singh stated that the messages threatened her with death and warned of consequences, referencing the Tanzeem Ahmed case to create fear and pressure. She also submitted screenshots of the messages and barcodes to the police as evidence.
The Tanzeem Ahmed case refers to the murder of National Investigation Agency (NIA) DSP Tanzeel Ahmed, who was shot dead in April 2016 by two bike-borne assailants. Ahmed was returning home to Delhi on the night of April 2, 2016, when he was attacked while his children were present. The reference to this case in the threat messages is seen as an attempt to intimidate the SDM.
Authorities have registered a case under relevant sections dealing with cybercrime, extortion, and criminal intimidation. Bijnor Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Jha confirmed that a case has been registered and a thorough investigation is underway. According to circle officer Abhay Kumar Pandey, a case has been registered against unidentified persons based on the SDM's complaint. The police are currently working to trace the origin of the messages and identify the individual behind the threats. A joint team of Dhampur police and surveillance crew is investigating the matter. In light of the threat, the SDM's security has been increased.
In a similar incident, an IAS officer in Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Ram Singh Verma, who serves as the Additional Managing Director of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), received a ransom demand of ₹5 crores from a fraudster posing as an Enforcement Directorate (ED) official. The caller threatened to release an 'uncompromising' recorded video if the officer did not comply with the extortion demands and threatened to kill Verma in the middle of the road. Verma reported the case to the Hazratganj Police Station, and the authorities have initiated a case and are tracing the caller.
