New Delhi: The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has busted a gang that was trying to extort Rs 20 crore from the president of a Mumbai-based company by sending them fake notices from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the officials informed on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Akhilesh Mishra (59), Darshan Harish Joshi (42), Vinod Kumar Patel (47), Dharmender Kumar Giri (41), Naresh Mahto (43), Asrar Ali (52) Vishnu Prasad (54), Devender Kumar Dubey and Gajender aka Guddu. Akhilesh and Darshan are residents of Mumbai, Naresh Mehto is from Kolkata and Devendra Dubey is a native of Deoria of Uttar Pradesh (UP) while all of the others are residents of Delhi.
According to Special CP Crime Branch Ravindra Singh Yadav, they impersonated ED officials and extorted Rs 20 crore from a Mumbai-based businessman by sending them fake summons of the ED. Owner of Nippon paints Hardev Singh received two notices from ED almost a week ago. His colleague was informed by Akhilesh Mishra that the ED had registered a case against them and he can help them sort out the matter through his sources. The complainant got apprehensive and suspicious as well, Yadav mentioned.
Later, the complainant again received the same notices through speed post. He contacted the accused persons and they initially demanded a ransom of Rs 2-3 crore and further asked to meet in Delhi. Between November 9 and 14, Akhilesh Mishra, his son and Darshan Harish Joshi tried several times to contact the complainant from different mobile numbers, said Yadav.
The accused also told the complainant that properties worth thousands of crores have been found by ED and this issue will be settled only with crores of rupees, for which Akhilesh Mishra and Darshan Harish Joshi will have to go to Delhi at the expenses of the complainant who will also have to make all the necessary arrangements for lodging, boarding, etc.
Later, the victim booked air tickets for both the accused persons from Mumbai to Delhi for Monday and a meeting was fixed at Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi. The accused persons upped their demands to Rs 20 crore for negotiation and settlement. On this complaint, a case under sections 170/389/465/471/120B/34 IPC was registered by the Crime Branch and the investigation was taken up, Special CP Crime Branch confirmed.
During the investigation, a team from Crime Branch reached the Ashoka Hotel and apprehended Akhilesh Mishra and Darshan Harish Joshi. During the interrogation, the accused disclosed that three of their associates were in a room in the same hotel. The team acted swiftly and raided the hotel room and apprehended Vinod Kumar Patel, Dharmender Kumar Giri and Naresh Mahto from the spot.
Vinod Kumar Patel further disclosed that three more associates will meet them at Classic Chicken Corner, Khan Market, Delhi.
The Crime Branch team further raided and apprehended Asrar Ali, Vishnu Prasad and Devender Kumar Dubey from Khan Market, Yadav said. Adding to this he said that the gang was inspired by the Bollywood film "Special 26". "The whole conspiracy was planned and hatched meticulously and every role was previously defined and enacted," Yadav further added.