Singer B Paraak too receied Rs.10 crore extortion call on day of launching police opeation, ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’,
By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: Barely a day after the AAP government in Punjab rolled out its much-hyped anti-gangster drive ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’, the ground reality exposed a stark contradiction. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Mohali district president Parvinder Singh Sohana received repeated extortion threats, including a chilling demand of Rs 5 crore, allegedly from gangster Pawan Shokeen.
The threat to Sohana comes close on the heels of a similar extortion call to noted singer and music composer B Praak, who was reportedly asked to pay Rs 10 crore. Together, the incidents have raised serious questions over the effectiveness and credibility of the Bhagwant Mann government’s anti-gangster offensive.
Sohana has alleged that the first extortion call was received on January 3, 2026, through WhatsApp from an international number. “The caller demanded Rs 5 crore and threatened to kill me and my family if the money was not paid. He identified himself as gangster Pawan Shokeen, ” Sohana told The Indian Express. He said he immediately approached the SHO of Sohana village and submitted the audio recording of the call.
According to Sohana, the threats did not stop there. On January 7, he received another call from a foreign number, followed by a voice message containing chilling references to a recent murder, clearly intended to intimidate him into submission. “I told them that the matter had already been reported to the Mohali police. After verification, they left, ” he said.
Following his complaint, Mohali police on Thursday registered an FIR under Sections 308(4) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against gangster Shokeen and unidentified persons, and initiated an investigation.
In his complaint, Sohana detailed a pattern of threats stretching back months. He stated that he had earlier received extortion calls from numbers 97528969044, +1-780-631-2180 and +92-3195461415, but no arrests were made. The most recent calls were traced to numbers +34-612278213 and +44-7503537883.
In his police complaint, Sohana said his family has a long history of social and political engagement and has consistently spoken out against drugs and gangster culture in Punjab. “Because of my stand against anti-social elements, gangsters are targeting me. They have openly threatened to kill me and my family, ” he stated.