Indore Extortion Racket Exposed

Lawrence Gang's 'Corporate' Double-Shooter Tactics Target Builders

Police interrogations have peeled back layers of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang's operations in Indore, revealing a tightly run extortion network that spied even on its own shooters. Key arrests have exposed how Harry Boxer, a shadowy overseas operative, orchestrated threats against prominent builders while demanding crores in cryptocurrency ransoms.

Double Surveillance on Gang Members

Crime Branch sources say Rajpal Chandrawat, recently nabbed in connection with a firing incident, confessed to the gang's paranoia-fueled methods during questioning. Chandrawat revealed that before any hit or reconnaissance, Harry Boxer's team deployed "double shooters"—shadow operatives tailing their own men to prevent betrayal or slip-ups. This fear kept lower-rung criminals in line, with some surrendering to police out of sheer dread, according to initial reports.

The setup was almost corporate in its precision, insiders noted. Encrypted apps like FaceTime and Signal handled all internal chatter, dodging law enforcement surveillance.

Rs 5 Crore Crypto Heist from Builder

A major breakthrough came in the extortion of a city builder, where the gang squeezed nearly Rs 5 crore without direct cash handovers. Funds were funneled via cryptocurrency to Dubai, then routed to Boxer abroad—the builder, spooked by threats to his family, stayed silent and skipped filing a complaint. Police confirmed the victim operated from upscale areas, but details remain guarded to protect ongoing probes.timesofindia.

Chandrawat, acting from jail, coordinated reconnaissance on this target using Dev as contacts, Crime Branch officers added.

Next Target: Racecourse Road Builder

Interrogation transcripts point to Vivek Dammami, a builder on posh Racecourse Road, as the next mark. Gangster Sonu alias Ritesh from Jeetnagar was tasked with full surveillance—photos, locations, family details—all prepped for a firing to enforce compliance. The plan fizzled when police nabbed Ritesh, an associate of Chandrawat, averting the strike.timesofindia.indiatimes+1

Dammami's office got the chilling WhatsApp call around 10:30 am on April 14, with the caller—posing as Harry Boxer—boasting real-time tracking of his son and vowing bullets if Rs 5 crore wasn't paid.

Firing Link to Bio-Cotton Trader

Chandrawat owned up to the firing outside bio-cotton trader Dilip Singh Rathore's home in Kasrawad, Khargone. He'd tipped off the gang about a Rs 50 lakh dispute, triggering a Rs 10 crore extortion demand via voice notes. Sumer Singh Solanki, a close Dev as ally of Chandrawat, is now in custody over this episode.

Rathore was away in Indore during the late-evening shots, but videos of the attack followed, ramping up pressure.

NIA's Prior Shadow

Chandrawat and Yogesh Bhati pop up in NIA files from high-profile cases, including the rocket launcher assault on Punjab Police Intelligence headquarters. The agency had grilled them earlier, linking them to Lawrence's broader terror network.

From Ratlam's Hathnara village, Chandrawat drove for a local leader before running a school that folded in 2021 amid money woes—pushing him into crime.

Business Community on Edge

Indore's builders and traders are rattled, with threats hitting two more businessmen for Rs 10 crore just days after Dammami's scare—property dealer Chetan Singh Panwar and partner Kunwar Singh Bhuria. Crime Branch has ramped up security and formed an SIT, vowing to dismantle the module.

Police hint at GST and RERA data leaks fueling target lists, signaling a tech-savvy upgrade in gang tactics. As probes deepen, expect more arrests—Indore's underbelly is cracking open.