Man extorted Rs 9 crore from Cox and Kings owner using ED’s name, booked in second FIR

Cox and Kings owner Peter Kerkar is facing multiple bank fraud cases and has been arrested and chargesheeted by Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the past few years.

Sources said that Bhagat allegedly accepted money from Peter Kerkar’s father Ajit Kerkar by allegedly posing as an ED officer by claiming he would get rid of the cases against his son.

Bhagat allegedly accepted Rs 9 crore, but as he was demanding more, Ajit refused to go by his demands. On this, Bhagat allegedly gave Ajit death threats, said another source.

Police sources have confirmed that Bhagat has been charged under relevant sections of extortion, impersonating a public servant and death threats.

Bhagat, a Khar resident, has at least four cases registered against him by the Mumbai Police in the past, besides the two current extortion cases.

Police sources said that Bhagat is one of the top “liasoning agents” and has close links to some politicians and government officials.

ED’s investigation transferred to Delhi

The ED had also registered an offence against Hiren Bhagat for money laundering in the builder’s extortion case. The investigation has now been transferred to the agency’s Delhi unit. The ED has so far found no involvement of any of their personnel in the alleged extortion racket.