Former MLA booked for extortion, police say its ‘business dispute’

The Ghaziabad police on Tuesday lodged an FIR against former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Amarpal Sharma and two others on charges of extortion and criminal intimidation.

The FIR was lodged at the Sahibabad police station on the complaint from a man, Virpal SIngh, who alleged that Sharma allegedly demanded Rs 10 lakh from him and also threatened him.

The former MLA is presently lodged in jail in connection with the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gajendra Bhati. He was gunned down by two bikers in Khoda on September 2, 2017 and Sharma was charged with criminal conspiracy. The BSP had expelled Sharma just ahead of the assembly polls and he had joined the Congress.

Although an FIR of extortion has been lodged, police said they are not convinced about the extortion angle alleged by the complainant.

“We have come to know that there was some business dispute between the two. Sharma is in jail and had come for a court hearing on April 10 to the Ghaziabad court. The complainant and Sharma used to be business partners,” Vaibhav Krishna, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad, said.

Singh, in his complaint, alleged that Sharma called him from a cellphone number and asked him to pay Rs 10 lakh, else face consequences. He provided police the number from which the call was made to him. He also mentioned the names of two others, Baba and Afzal, who allegedly provided his mobile number to Sharma.

Following the announcement of a Rs 25,000 reward for his arrest, Sharma surrendered before a Ghaziabad court on October 17, 2017, in connection with Bhati’s murder.

Bhati’s wife Reena and Sharma’s wife Mohini had also contested the local body election for the seat of chairperson of Khoda nagar palika and Reena had emerged the winner.

In connection with Bhati’s murder, the police also arrested Narendra Gurjar alias Fauji. The special cell of the Delhi Police also arrested the second alleged shooter, Raju Kumar alias Pehalwan. The two are alleged to have killed Bhati at Sharma’s behest.