"Pay 20 Crores": Nippon Paints Targeted By Gang Posing As Probe Agency ED

In a joint operation, officers from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Delhi Police have busted an inter-state gang of fraudsters that had tried to extort around Rs 20 crore from a Japanese company in Mumbai over fake ED summons sent to the company's top executives.

According to the police, the Mumbai-based gang had sent fake summons to the president and director of Nippon Paints in Mumbai, directing them to appear at the Delhi office of ED and attend an inquiry under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The gang members then contacted the company officials and claimed that they were well-connected with some ED officials and could help "settle" the matter for Rs 15-20 crore.

When the company executives got suspicious and informed ED about the "summons" and the offer to "settle" the matter, the attempted forgery came to light.

Soon, a trap was laid for the fraudsters by ED and Delhi Police. The gang members were told to come to Delhi for further negotiations. Though initially reluctant, they finally agreed.

Subsequently, a joint team of ED and Delhi Police officers arrested the gang members, including kingpin Akhilesh Mishra, a Mumbai resident, from the Delhi hotel where they had put up.

Devender Dubey, one of the gang members, had threatened the representatives of the company to "settle" the matter or he would arrest them the next day, ED said, adding that he was caught using government stickers on a car.

Police said a total of ten persons, including the kingpin, were in custody. Further investigation is on.

ED officials said people should not fall into the trap of such gangsters and check the authenticity of summons issued in the agency's name by scanning a QR code provided on each such document.