Gangtok: A 58-year-old Madan Chettri from 7th Mile Samdur in Gangtok has been accused of impersonating a vigilance officer and extorting over Rs. 3.5 lakh from a victim, along with blackmailing him. The case has been registered at Ranipool Police Station.
Gangtok Superintendent of Police Mahendra Subba on Thursday addressed a press conference regarding the incident, providing a detailed timeline.
"The victim received the first threatening call on August 5, 2025, followed by another call on August 7, asking him to meet near the 32 Mile area in Gangtok district under the pretext of a vigilance enquiry. The accused allegedly posed as a vigilance officer and threatened the victim with false implication in an unnatural death case from 28 years ago.
On August 12, the accused allegedly extorted ₹2.5 lakh from the victim. Later, on August 26, an additional ₹1 lakh was taken. The victim was again threatened on September 23, following which he fled his residence due to extreme fear and mental distress.
SP Subba revealed that the victim attempted to take his own life and later left his mobile phone at home before going missing. Three to four days ago, the victim’s son traced him at a temple in Siliguri, where he had been staying. The victim has since been reunited with his family.
During the investigation, police found that the victim suffered severe mental torture, and the offence is being treated as extremely serious. SP Subba also informed that the accused has a previous criminal history, including involvement in a sexual assault case, for which police action had been taken earlier.
The investigation is being led by Police Inspector Soveet Chettri. Police have assured that a final charge sheet will be submitted to the court after completion of the investigation. Considering the trauma faced by the victim, police will also be providing counselling support during the course of the investigation.
SP Subba urged the public to remain calm and vigilant, and advised citizens not to panic if they receive threatening calls claiming to be from police or vigilance authorities. He appealed to people to verify such calls by visiting the nearest police station before taking any step.
Police are also verifying whether the accused has targeted other victims, and have encouraged anyone who may have faced similar extortion or impersonation to come forward and assist the investigation.
Also Read: Axomiya Bhadrata: Civility, silence, and the architecture of patriarchy
Trending Stories
- ‘Pearl Edition’ marks three decades of IIT Guwahati’s Alcheringa festival
- Mizoram skater’s international debut stalled by lack of funds
- Mizoram journalists boycott Republic Day coverage over lapses
- Arunachal: NSCN/GPRN claims responsibility for Changlang attack
- Nagaland Uni researchers discover new plant in community forests
- From IIT to impact: How Dinesh Lahoti is transforming classrooms & careers
