Kingpin of fake sting operation of MPs lands in police net

NEW DELHI: The kingpin of a gang, which was blackmailing MPs after conducting fake sting operations, has landed in the police net after evading arrest for about a month.
    
Sanjay Tiwari, who was running a media consultancy which provided sting operations to TV channels, was arrested from an east Delhi locality on Wednesday during a raid, police said.
    
His three accomplices were arrested on September 10 after complaints from three MPs at the Parliament Street police station that Tiwari, who was posing as the secretary and allegedly told that he could arrange a Rs 18 crore project for their constituencies.
    
Tiwari, who approached three MPs -- Rameshwar Oraon, Sushila Kerketta (both Cong) and Eklal Mahto (JMM), posing as secretary of of Tribal Affairs Minister P R Kyndiah, had managed to escape then.
    
Tiwari allegedly told the MPs that he would give five per cent to the lawmakers for which they have to give him Rs 5,000 initially and Rs five lakh later.
    
Oraon, a former additional director general of police, first received a call from Tiwari but finding it suspicious, he contacted the minister who denied that there was any such projects or official attached with him.
    
Tiwari and his three associates went to Oraon's residence September 10 afternoon for "fixing the deal" and started asking him some questions to which Oraon objected to.
    
The gang was allegedly 'filming' the conversation using secret cameras, the official said adding that the waiting police team then caught the trio but Tiwari managed to escape.