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In a significant turn of events in Mumbai, four alleged extortionists, including an individual posing as an Enforcement Directorate (ED) official, were apprehended for attempting to coerce a prominent developer into paying Rs. 164 crore ($22 million). The suspects, all affiliated with the real estate sector, were arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch (CB) after being caught on CCTV footage threatening the victim at a Bandra coffee shop. Among those detained are Rajendra Shirsath (59), Rakesh Anand Kumar Kediya (56), Kalpesh Bhosle (50), and Avrish Shivkant Dubaye (46).
A senior CB officer confirmed the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against seven individuals at the Bandra police station, with Sandeep Tadgek, engaged in the share market business, being the fifth suspect. Two more suspects remain at large, prompting an ongoing search by law enforcement.
The accused, identified through CCTV evidence, had confronted the victim, a prominent Mumbai developer, at a coffee shop in Bandra, issuing threats and demanding Rs. 164 crore. Preliminary investigations revealed a monetary dispute between the complainant and one of the wanted suspects, who is in his seventies. The extortion plan involved intimidating the victim with the prospect of ED officials registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). The accused insisted that the victim pay Rs. 164 crore to avoid legal consequences.
The unfolding of events began with an initial phone call on January 6 when one of the accused contacted the complainant. Subsequently, a face-to-face meeting was scheduled for January 10 in Bandra. During this meeting, one of the perpetrators, masquerading as an ED official, intensified the threats against the victim. Unwilling to comply, the victim sought assistance from a senior official in the state home department and a senior IPS official.
Following their guidance, the complainant filed a case of extortion and relevant Indian Penal Code sections at the Bandra police station. The case was later transferred to the crime branch unit 9 for further investigation.
In a parallel incident, four individuals, presenting themselves as closely associated with ED officials, were arrested by the city crime branch's unit 9. Acting purportedly at the behest of a developer, these individuals attempted to extort Rs. 164 crore from a rival in a property dispute. The accused warned the victim that failure to make the payment would result in framing him in an ED case.
The builder alleged to have hired these blackmailers, reportedly present during the threats against the rival, is expected to face imminent arrest. While senior police officials refrained from disclosing extensive details due to the sensitivity of the case, they emphasized the pursuit of a suspect named Sandeep, who falsely claimed to be an ED official.
The victim, Tarachand Mulchand Verma of Omkar Realtors and Developers, received a life-threatening call on January 7, instructing him to settle a property dispute. Three days later, he was directed to a coffee shop in Andheri, where six men, including the accused builder, allegedly coerced him into paying Rs. 164 crore. Notably, Verma's firm partners, Babulal Verma and Kamal Gupta, had previously faced ED arrests in connection with an alleged Rs. 410-crore loan fraud, with Babulal being discharged in 2022 by a special PMLA court.
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