Lucknow: Lucknow Police have arrested a shrewd accused who allegedly attempted to extort money by sending a threatening letter in the name of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The arrest was made by the Sarojini Nagar police team under the Southern Zone of the Lucknow Police Commissionerate on February 8, 2026. A scooty used in the crime has also been recovered.
According to the police, the complainant Gaurav Batra, son of Khem Karan and a resident of Rohit Residency, Vikalp Khand, Lucknow, submitted a written complaint at Sarojini Nagar police station on January 30, 2026. He stated that a security guard at his medicine warehouse, Karun Enterprises, located in Hindnagar Transport Nagar, received an envelope containing a letter demanding an extortion amount of ₹30 lakh within 15 days. The letter threatened to kill him and his employees if the demand was not met and was signed as “Bishnoi Gang U.P. East.”
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under Case Crime No. 52/2026, Section 308(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Considering the seriousness of the case, police formed four special teams to crack the matter. Nearly 100 CCTV cameras installed around the incident site were examined. Following technical and ground-level investigation, police arrested the accused Umesh Kumar Yadav, son of late Harishankar Yadav, aged around 38 years, from Rahimabad Road. He is a native of village Bisahar, police station Khejuri, Ballia district, and is currently residing near Durga Mata Temple under Bijnor police station limits in Lucknow.
Police recovered the scooty used in the crime, along with a helmet and a shawl, which the accused had used to conceal his identity during the incident.
During interrogation, the accused revealed that he was previously employed at the same medicine warehouse in Hindnagar but had left the job in August 2025 due to non-payment of pending dues. He also disclosed that he was under financial stress due to a bank loan of ₹7 lakh and was unable to pay the installments. Inspired by web series and films, he planned the extortion attempt. He admitted that he himself wrote the threatening letter, went to the warehouse on a scooty wearing a helmet and shawl, handed over the envelope to the guard, and fled the spot.
Police officials stated that the accused has no prior criminal history. The recovered scooty bears registration number UP 32 PE 8629. Further legal proceedings against the accused are underway.
Lucknow Police reiterated that strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to spread fear or disturb public order by misusing the names of notorious criminals.
