Mumbai Police probe how ED documents ended up at residence of accused person

The police suspected these documents were used by the accused to extort money from people, threatening them with ED action. While one case was registered, the police were checking if there were other victims and if they were willing to give a complaint.

During searches at the residence of accused Hiren Bhagat alias Romi Bhagat (50), the latest person to be arrested in the case on January 31, the crime branch recovered three foreign made weapons with 150 live cartridges, gold ornaments, expensive watches, Indian and foreign currency worth Rs 5.13 crore, a walkie-talkie and a radio frequency detector. A total of cash and valuables worth Rs 13.63 crore was seized by the police. The police also found files of several documents related to the ED and Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

“We are going through the records and will contact the concerned people to find out if they too had received extortion demands from the accused,” an officer said.

“We suspect an extortion ring was operating where these accused would contact builders, businessmen and threaten ED action against. We are checking if they had any help from someone within the agency,” the officer added.

The main accused in the extortion case is a builder who was once the complainant’s partner in a real estate project. As per the complainant, the accused builder and him were jointly redeveloping an old housing society building in Bandra area of Mumbai.

But as the accused’s work was unsatisfactory, the society gave development rights for the entire premises to the complainant. The complainant subsequently paid off all the dues of the accused, the officer said.

Last month, the complainant learnt that the accused was going to file a complaint against him with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police and the ED. To sort out the matter, he met his former partner at a cafe, where the accused allegedly demanded Rs 164 crore. He also allegedly threatened the complainant with ED action and even have him killed, the FIR said.

Incidentally, last month, the ED transferred one of its senior officers.