Chennai: The city police arrested nine persons for extorting money from the owner of Saravana Stores Elite jewellery shop on Usman Road, T Nagar.

According to sources, Siva Aruldurai (54), owner of the store, lodged a complaint with the city police that one Dhanasekar (27) of Thiruverkadu threatened him and extorted Rs 15 lakh.

Sources said, Dhanasekar, who claimed to be the vice-president of Universal Press Media, had visited the store on 3 November.

He had exchanged some gold coins for a three sovereign gold chain. Following this, he accused the shop of giving him a fake gold chain.

Claiming to be from the press fraternity he said he would carry the news in the media and create a negative image about the store.

Sources said Rs 15 lakh was given to Dhanasekar to refrain him from publishing any news about it.

On 13 November, he returned with 14 other people and demanded Rs 1 crore saying the store was selling fake gold. The employees alerted the police who arrived at the spot and nabbed nine persons, while the rest managed to escape.

Police seized four fake press cards and a police identity card among other forged cards from Dhanasekar.

An air gun was seized from another accused Jeeva (47), a AIADMK member and resident of Vadapalani.

Police arrested Syed Abudhaker(49), an accountant from Pudupet, Jagadesan (25), an advocate from Ennore, Aman Ullah (39), an advocate from Pudupet, Sriram (27), an advocate from Kilpauk, Murugan also known as Boss Murugan, an advocate from East Tambaram, Thirumal (37), an advocate from Triplicane and Dhandabani (24), a driver from Pallavaram. Two cars were also seized from the gang.