A doctor in Motihari, Bihar has received a letter demanding 2 crore rupees in extortion and threatening that he and his family would be killed if the demands were not met within a couple of days, the police said on Tuesday.
Chhatauni’s station house officer (SHO) Vinay Kumar on Tuesday said the doctor has been identified by police as Sanjay Kumar and the threatening letter was found in his chamber on Sunday.
The SHO said, “We have registered a case and are looking into the matter”.
When reached, Dr Sanjay Kumar claimed he had received threats of severe consequences if the demands were not met.
“I found an envelope placed near my laptop just before closing the clinic in the evening of March 26 where someone has said that my family members and I were under his active scanner and will be killed if 2 crores were not given,” said Dr Kumar, who also manages a diagnostic facility in the town.
In the meantime, a group of medical professionals called East Champaran SP Kantesh Kumar Mishra to request security for the physician. “We informed the SP about the difficulties faced by doctors as a result of this extortion demand. In addition, we have requested protection up until the arrest is made,” added Dr BK Pandey, IMA Motihari unit secretary.
When contacted, SP Mishra stated that a special investigation team (SIT) had been established, with Sadar Sub Divisional Police Officer serving as its head. The SP stated, “We are looking into the matter from all perspectives.”
Bihar has a notorious history of kidnapping, extortion, and other crimes. Kidnapping and extortion used to be an industry in the Lalu Yadav rule, a shadow that the state is yet to fully emerge from.