Two held for trying to extort money from businessman

Two men were today arrested after they were caught allegedly accepting Rs 2.5 lakh extortion money from a businessman, which they had sought by posing as government officials, police said.
The accused identified as Murli Mundhra (36) and Mahesh Khetwani (41) were arrested from Oshiwara in western suburb by sleuths of Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Crime Branch.
The duo had posed as Income-Tax Commissioner and Commissioner of Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and contacted the victim for extortion.
"Earlier this month, Mundhra messaged the victim on his mobile claiming he was I-T Commissioner Anil Kumar and requested him to help his friends locate some film shooting sites," police said.

"The victim helped him and after a few days, he again got a message from Mundhra on his mobile that DRI sleuths would be raiding his office premises. The accused also told that he was informing him as a friend," police said, adding that the accused also gave him DRI Commissioner's mobile number.
When the victim called the number, which 'Anil Kumar' had mesaaged from, the person on the other side introduced himself as DRI official Ajit Kumar. He told the victim that he was going to conduct a raid at his office, but since Anil, his friend, told him not to do so, he did not proceed with the action.

"Ajit later asked the victim to meet his personal assistant at a mall in western suburbs," police said.

The PA told the victim to give Rs 50 lakh to DRI Commissioner, as the latter did not raid his premises. Subsequently, Anil called the victim and told him that he has given Rs 50 lakh to DRI Commissioner and now he should pay the amount to him, police said.
The victim then got suspicious and complained to police about the extortion from people posing as commissioners of different departments of the government, added police.
After negotiations, the amount was settled at Rs 10 lakh and the AEC sleuths arrseted the duo while accepting the first instalment of Rs 2.5 lakh.

The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the IPC and further investigaition is on.