Extortion of school children: Convicts file appeal

It was nine years after the three youths were arrested by an operation cell of Chandigarh Police for extorting money from minor students that the district court sentenced two accused, both sons of police personnel to two years’ imprisonment on August 7

Less than a month after three youths were convicted and sentenced to two years in jail for extorting money from schoolchildren, an appeal has been filed by the convicts against the lower court’s order. The next hearing of the case is on September 10.

The court of additional chief judicial magistrate Rahul Garg had sentenced convicts Rattan Chand and Rajvir Singh and have imposed a fine of ₹2,500 each. Amitoz Singh, who is also an accused in the case, has already been declared a proclaimed offender in the case on September 29, 2018. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It was nine years after the three youths were arrested by an operation cell of Chandigarh Police for extorting money from minor students that the district court sentenced two accused, both sons of police personnel to two years’ imprisonment on August 7. The third absconding accused is the son of a BJP leader.

The court of additional chief judicial magistrate Rahul Garg had sentenced convicts Rattan Chand and Rajvir Singh, under Section 392 (robbery) read with Section 34 (criminal act done by several persons with a common intention) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and have imposed a fine of ₹2,500 each. Amitoz Singh, who is also an accused in the case, has already been declared a proclaimed offender in the case on September 29, 2018.

According to the prosecution, an FIR was registered on the complaint of the principal of St John High School, Sector 26, in 2015, alleging extortion of money from students of their schools by the accused persons. The principal said parents of the students had given written complaints against the three accused.

It was alleged that the accused persons were abusing and threatening the schoolchildren on Facebook and mobile phones. Threats to sexually exploit, by way of showing firearms, were also made by the accused to the children in order to extort money, the complainant had claimed.

It was told to the police on complaint that the accused persons also went to the houses of the students and pushed them to steal liquor from their homes; and the matter is not restricted to their school alone but is widespread in the city. Following the allegations, the police initiated a probe, registered the FIR, and arrested the accused.