Gautam Buddha Nagar Police arrest five in ₹29 lakh GST extortion case

In a major breakthrough, Gautam Buddha Nagar Police have busted a gang accused of extorting ₹29 lakh from a GST consultant by posing as GST officials. Five individuals were arrested in connection with the case, and the police successfully recovered the entire amount, including ₹24.5 lakh in cash and gold and silver ornaments worth ₹4.5 lakh. The arrests were made near the ISKCON temple on Jalpura Road, Noida.

The incident occurred on July 20, 2026, when the victim, a GST consultant, was intercepted near his residential society in Bisrakh while driving with his pet dog. The accused blocked his car and entered it, pretending to be GST officials. They blackmailed the victim, citing fake e-way bill irregularities linked to two firms, and threatened him with legal action unless he paid ₹29 lakh. The victim's brother later delivered the cash, after which the gang fled the scene.

Using surveillance, CCTV footage, and local intelligence, the police tracked down the suspects. Among those arrested were Kashish Chauhan alias Ishu, who works as a driver-cum-pump operator in Dwarka, Delhi, and Rajesh Pawar, associated with the Delhi Civil Defence. The other accused include Vivek Sharma, a former pump operator, Ankit Shahi, a grill-maker, and Anshul, a property dealer. Investigations revealed that the victim and Kashish Chauhan had known each other since 2021, with Chauhan exploiting the victim's alleged GST irregularities to plan the extortion.

The police also seized items used in the crime, including two cars, police uniforms, seven mobile phones, and civil defence gear. Authorities are now probing the criminal histories of the accused for possible links to other cases. This operation highlights the growing sophistication of financial fraud and the importance of vigilance against such scams.