Prosecution of “reporter” for extorting money from bus driver

On January 27, the Investigation Police Agency of Tuyen Quang Province Police announced that it had prosecuted and detained Vu Van Tien (50 years old, residing in Nong Tien Ward, Tuyen Quang City) for the act of extortion.

During the investigation, the Police Investigation Agency clarified that on January 18, Vu Van Tien wrote a post on the Phap Luat Plus website with the title: "The King's Car" Cuong An is rampant, challenging the authorities. Tien then posted it on his personal Facebook page.

Because of fear of negative impacts on the business and transportation activities of Cuong An Company, Mr. Han Trong Bang (35 years old, residing in Dich Vong Hau Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi), the owner of the passenger car with license plate number 29B-13469 belonging to Cuong An Transport and Tourism Service Joint Stock Company (commonly known as Cuong An bus company), located at Group 8, Tan Ha Ward (Tuyen Quang City), had to contact Tien to ask him to remove the posted article. However, Tien did not remove it but also told Bang that he still had articles and clips about Cuong An bus company's violations that Tien had not posted yet, and whether to continue posting them or not was up to him.

Faced with that situation, Mr. Bang discussed with members of Cuong An Company and agreed to pay Tien 50 million VND so that Tien would remove the posted article and from now on not write or post anything about Cuong An bus company, and at the same time assigned Mr. Bang to meet Tien.

On January 21, Mr. Bang asked Tien to go to Mr. Tinh's restaurant in group 12, Tan Ha ward, Tuyen Quang city to drink wine, talk... At around 6:30 p.m. sitting at the dining table, after receiving 50 million VND from Mr. Bang, Tien put it in his jacket pocket and took out his phone to remove the post about Cuong An bus company from his personal Facebook page.

Tuyen Quang Provincial Police took statement from Vu Van Tien.

At this moment, a working group from the Criminal Police Department of Tuyen Quang Province Police came in and caught him red-handed, temporarily confiscating a sealed envelope in Tien's jacket pocket. When the police opened it to check, they found the 50 million VND that Tien had just received from Mr. Bang.

According to Tuyen Quang Provincial Police, on January 1, 2016, Vu Van Tien signed a Collaboration Agreement with Vietnam Law Newspaper. The agreement is valid until December 31, 2016, on that basis, Vu Van Tien was granted a Collaborator Certificate No. 053/PLVN by Vietnam Law Newspaper, valid until June 31, 2016, and a Staff and Reporter Certificate No. 395/PLVN, valid from October 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017.

From January 1, 2018 to present, Vietnam Law has not signed an agreement with Vu Van Tien and has not issued a Certificate of Officer and Reporter to Vu Van Tien. However, in the past, Tien has still used the expired Certificate of Officer and Reporter to contact, collect information, and write articles about violations by individuals and organizations in Tuyen Quang province.

Expanding the investigation into Vu Van Tien's personal background, the police agency also clarified that on January 20, 2001, Tien had repeatedly resisted law enforcement officers, disturbed public order, illegally transported ores, and violated regulations on forest exploitation and protection...

Subject Vu Van Tien.

After Vu Van Tien was arrested, many individuals and organizations came to the Tuyen Quang Provincial Police Department to accuse Vu Van Tien of extorting their property. Currently, the Investigation Police Department is receiving the case to investigate, clarify and handle it according to the provisions of the law.

Minh Hien