Ludhiana, March 16 -- A scribe was arrested by Sudhar police of Ludhiana Rural on Sunday for allegedly attempting to extort Rs.7 lakh from a local shopkeeper by threatening to implicate him in a rape case and defame him on social media, while his accomplice-also a scribe and a panchayat member-suffered injuries while trying to escape during a police raid and is undergoing treatment at a hospital. Police said he will be arrested after being discharged.

According to police, the arrested accused have been identified as Jagpal Singh Sivia, a resident of Ramgarh Sivia.

Police said Amarjeet Singh, alias Deepu, a resident of Akalgarh is a member of the panchayat and also works as a scribe with a vernacular daily. He suffered injuries while try...