Fake Reporters Demand ₹1 Lakh Extortion from CAA Applicant Family in Jalpaiguri
In a disturbing extortion incident highlighting vulnerabilities surrounding the citizenship verification process, a family residing in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district has lodged a formal police complaint after two digital content creators, posing as journalists, attempted to extort ₹1 lakh from them. The targeted family, who had legally applied for regularized Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) following their cross-border arrival from Bangladesh years ago, was reportedly threatened with public character assassination and forced deportation if they failed to deliver the extorted sum.
Posing as Journalists to Extort Vulnerable Applicants
According to the written complaint registered at Dhupguri Police Station, the incident unfolded at the family's residence located in the Sakoyajhora-II Gram Panchayat area of Jalpaiguri. The complainant family stated that they have maintained a settled life within the local community for an extended period and recently submitted their citizenship applications through the official statutory framework outlined under the CAA. The peace of their household was abruptly disrupted when two unidentified content creators arrived, falsely claiming to represent legitimate news organizations. Under the guise of an investigative interview, the duo initiated invasive questioning regarding the family's migration history, documentation status, and pending citizenship files.
Viral Video Blackmail and Police Action
The inquiry quickly turned into explicit intimidation when the impostors demanded an immediate payment of ₹1 lakh in cash. When the family expressed inability and refused to comply with the demand, the perpetrators issued direct threats, warning that they would produce and circulate viral video clips across internet platforms falsely branding the family members as illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators. They further threatened that such public exposure would lead to targeted social harassment, police crackdowns, and immediate administrative deportation back across the border. Refusing to yield to the blackmail, the family approached local law enforcement authorities, submitting a formal written petition seeking security and legal action. Dhupguri police officials have launched an investigation into the complaint to track down the digital creators and determine whether this represents part of a wider coordinated extortion network preying on CAA applicants across border districts.
