Meerut: A dreaded criminal lodged in Meerut jail has allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh from a Baghpat-based petrol pump owner, threatening to kill him if he did not comply.On Wednesday morning, Dheeraj Ujjwal, owner of four petrol pumps in Baghpat and vice president of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for western UP got a letter from two men with covered faces on a motorcycle.“One of my employees received the letter at the Baraut petrol pump. It was addressed to me and said if I did not arrange for Rs 5 lakh I will be shot dead,” Ujjwal told TOI.The letter purportedly came from Ajit Happu, a dreaded criminal with more than three dozen cases of robbery, murder and extortion against him. Happu is currently lodged in Meerut jail. He carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh and was recently arrested from Tonk district of Rajasthan.The letter whose copy is available with TOI states, “You have four petrol pumps and if you wish to run them smoothly, pay up Rs 5 lakh, otherwise you will be responsible for the consequences. As of now I am using nice language. Meet on Sunday.”Ramanand Kushwaha, circle officer, Baraut told TOI, “We have begun our investigation but cannot say with certainty if Happu is involved in this threat or not, at this juncture.”

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