Sangrur, March 9 -- The Barnala police on Sunday busted a gang for orchestrating a fake extortion plot, allegedly masterminded by a local businessman to gain notoriety and police security. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sarfaraz Alam said the investigation began after Shivam Mittal, 30, a resident of Rambagh and owner of a brick kiln near Thikriwal, reported receiving a Rs.20 lakh ransom demand from an alleged gangster on March 6. However, technical surveillance revealed that Mittal was the kingpin of the hoax, assisted by his driver Paramjit Singh and a kiln worker, Gurpreet Singh. The trio had roped in two accomplices, Kulwant Rai and Kamalpreet Singh of Bhai Rupa, to carry out a staged firing at the kiln on March 7. "Five calls were placed to Mittal from a Portugal-based virtual number to create a credible background for the threats. Mittal's primary motive was a desire for fame and the prestige of having gunmen for protection," SSP Alam said. The police intercepted the accused while they were huddled in an Innova car on the Barnala-Thikriwal link road, finalising the logistics for the staged shooting. Officers impounded the vehicle and a .315-bore pistol from the spot. Investigation revealed that Mittal had already paid his accomplices an initial sum of Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 to execute the plan. To add legitimacy to his claim, Mittal attempted to link the "threats" to a previously resolved financial dispute with a labour contractor.A case has been registered at the Barnala city police station under Sections 217 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant sections of the Arms Act, for spreading fear and providing false information to public servants....