Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police have dismantled an extortion ring, arresting four women who posed as a magistrate and administrative staff to extort local businesses in the Tarnol area of the capital city. The suspects were apprehended after a series of bogus inspections.
Incident Details
According to the FIR registered at the Tarnol police station, Aamir Hayat, son of Sanaullah, told the police that he runs a hotel named ‘Shinwari Restaurant Bannu Beef Pulao’ in the Tarnol area. “On July 2, a woman came to his restaurant along with some other men and introduced herself as Resident Magistrate, Raheela Rana, and started inspection of the premises. I immediately made a call to the operator of the Resident Magistrate to ask if there was genuinely a magistrate named Raheela Rana inspecting the area,” Hayat said. The operator replied in the negative. Hayat then called 15 to inform the police about the fake magistrate.
Modus Operandi
The gang, operating primarily in sector I-16 and the broader Tarnol jurisdiction, systematically targeted commercial establishments. Posing as a magistrate, the women carried out unauthorized inspections of local hotels and shops. Raheela posed as a judicial magistrate while the remaining three members acted as her administrative staff, accompanying her to inspect businesses and unlawfully issuing fines to owners.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
After the group conducted inspections at three different hotels to collect fine amounts, local authorities were tipped off. When confronted by genuine law enforcement, the women attempted to flee the scene. Tarnol Police, however, foiled their fleeing attempt and registered a First Information Report against the suspects. The police later shifted the accused women to the Women’s Police Station for further legal proceedings.
