Lawrence Bishnoi gang member held for trying to extort money from five-star hotel in Delhi

A member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was arrested for trying to extort money from the management of a five-star hotel, the police said on Wednesday.

A member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was arrested for trying to extort money from the management of a five-star hotel, the police said on Wednesday. A senior officer said Mohan Jaiswal, the accused, had sent two sharpshooters to fire gunshots outside the south Delhi-based five-star hotel in order to threaten its management. While the police nabbed the shooters, including a minor, after a brief exchange of fire outside the hotel on Friday, a hunt was on to nab Mr. Jaiswal, their alleged handler.

He was finally arrested on Tuesday. A pistol, eight live cartridges, and a car used in conducting a recce of the hotel were recovered from his possession, DCP (Special Cell) Rajiv Ranjan Singh said.

“Jailwal had severed ties with his family in Samaypur Badli due to his aggressive behaviour and moved to Bawana, where started working as a property dealer. He soon befriended goons in the area and sometimes gave shelter to absconders,” Mr. Singh added.

The DCP added that the accused came in contact with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to settle scores with a person who had thrashed him. The gang agreed to his request if he executed their plan to extort “protection money” from the hotel management.

According to the police, Mr. Jaiswal had earlier been booked under various sections, including sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.

Earlier this month, Delhi Police had arrested two sharpshooters of the gang who had fired gunshots outside the house of former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Punjab MLA and liquor businessman Deep Malhotra in Punjabi Bagh on December 3 to extort money from him.