Ludhiana, Sept. 25 -- Two police personnel and their accomplices have been accused of abducting three businessmen from Noida while accusing them of having being indulged in illegal activities and bringing them to Khanna to extort crores of rupees, police officials said on Wednesday. After it came to the notice of other officials, the higher-ups were informed following which an FIR was registered, the cyber crime police said. The accused have been identified as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Kuldeep Singh, head constable Balwinder Singh and their four accomplices. According to the police, the incident took place on the night of September 15 when the accused, posing as police officers, stormed a call centre in Sector 136, Noida. They seized mobile phones and laptops from the staff before forcibly making three businessmen-Tarun Agrawal, Herat Shah and Thurai Raj-sit in two black SUVs. The victims were then driven to Ludhiana and held hostage at a dhaba room until morning before being taken to the Khanna cyber crime police station. The victims revealed that the accused demanded Rs.10 crore, claiming a complaint was pending with the Chandigarh cybercrime unit. The deal was later reduced to Rs.5 crore, then Rs.2 crore and finally the accused tried to settle it at Rs.70 lakh. According to the victims, the accused forced cryptocurrency transfers worth over Rs.4 lakh, compelled purchases of gift cards and looted personal belongings, including a phone and a watch. Officials are yet to ascertain the total amount extorted from the victims. SI Narpinder Singh, SHO of the cyber crime police station, said the case came to light when discrepancies were noticed during questioning. "Upon being questioned, ASI Kuldeep Singh and head constable Balwinder Singh confessed to their involvement. A case under Sections 319 (cheating by personation), 140 (kidnapping or abducting a person with specific malicious intents), 3(5) (criminal act committed by several persons with a common intention) and 318(4) (cheating) of the BNS has been registered against both and their aides Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan Apple, Karandeep Singh, Mani and one unidentified person," the SHO said....