Promoter of local news portal, two aides held for extortion in G Noida

The promoter of a local news portal and two of his associates were arrested on Monday afternoon allegedly after a property dealer accused them of trying to extort money from him and threatening to publish fake news about him if he failed to pay up, said senior officers on Tuesday.

- HT Correspondent

NOIDA:

The suspects have been identified as Pankaj Parashar, who runs the portal, "Tricity Today," and his associates Avadesh Sisodia and Dev Sharma, all residents of Greater Noida, said police.

"Suspects were running an extortion racket by threatening people that they would run fake or misleading news about them on their news portal if they refused to meet their demands. On November 8, 2024, they called a property dealer, identified as Manoj Kumar, on the pretext of getting his version on some news report that they were preparing," said Noida police in a statement.

"When Kumar met them to give his comment, they demanded a huge amount from him and threatened to publish fake/misleading news about him if he did not pay up. They also threatened to kill him by sending a shooter," police said in the statement.