Security increased after Nitin Gadkari gets threat calls at his Nagpur office

Nagpur, Jan 14: Security was beefed up at Union minister Nitin Gadkari's residence and office here in Maharashtra on Saturday after a man claiming to be a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang made threatening calls and demanded Rs 100 crore, police said.

The caller has been identified and a crime branch team has been sent to track him down in Karnataka, a police official said on Saturday night, as reported by news agency PTI.

Three threat calls were received on the landline number of Gadkari's Public Relations office in Khamla area between 11.25 am to 12.30 pm, following which security was strengthened at the home and office of the Nagpur MP who belongs to BJP.

''The caller told the phone operator that he is a member of the D gang and demanded Rs 100 crore from Gadkari. He threatened to harm the minister with a bomb if his demand is not met,'' he said. The caller also shared his mobile number and the address in Karnataka where he said the money must be sent, he said.

''Police have identified the caller who has a criminal past. His phone number has been traced to Karnataka and a crime branch team has been sent to the address shared by him,'' the official added.