14 BJP MLAs in Uttar Pradesh receive extortion threat from US number; CM Yogi Adityanath orders probe

Fourteen BJP MLAs in Uttar Pradesh have received extortion threats on WhatsApp from an international number who has demanded Rs 10 lakh from each, failing which their family members will be eliminated.

Taking note of the threat, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has set up a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Amitabh Yash, the Inspector General of the Special Task Force to trace the caller, who has identified himself as Ali Bundesh Bhai.

Anand Kumar, ADG Law and Order, said that so far they have received complaints from 14 MLAs. The ATS, STF and Cyber Crime Cell teams have also been pressed to track the caller, said he.

“A three-member SIT has been constituted and three FIRS have been lodged in this connection. Prima facie, the caller seems to have used a US number to send WhatsApp messages. We are close to identifying the caller,” said he.

The caller has sent similar WhatsApp messages to all BJP MLAs from the same international number raising suspicion that it could be a crank call.

The BJP MLAs and their families are in a state of shock after receiving the messages. DGP OP Singh has directed to increase security of these MLAs and their family members till the caller is identified and arrested. The DGP suspected that there might be a possibility that messages are being sent from a hacked number.