Enforcement Directorate Detains Extortionist Hiren Bhagat in Cox and Kings Money Laundering Probe

Extortionist Hiren Bhagat, also known as Romi Bhagat, was detained by the Enforcement Directorate on Friday in connection with a money laundering investigation involving the Mumbai company Cox and Kings.

Among other financial misconducts, the Cox and Kings company’s promoters are charged with bank fraud, money laundering, and faking records.

Chartered accountant Rajesh Chaturvedi reportedly introduced Bhagat to Cox and Kings promoter Ajit Kerkar’s father Ajay Peter Kerkar so that he could help with a case brought by several agencies against Ajay Peter Kerkar.

According to Mumbai Police sources in 2022, Bhagat pretended to be an Enforcement Directorate officer and allegedly threatened Ajit Kerkar. He allegedly extracted nearly Rs 10 crore at gunpoint and threatened to harm Kerkar’s jailed son Ajay.

Bhagat was previously detained by the Mumbai Crime Branch in connection with an alleged extortion case in which he and his accomplice allegedly threatened Omkar Developers’ promoters to pay Rs 164 crores or face charges brought against them by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing and the Enforcement Department.

The central investigation team searched several places connected to Rajesh Chaturvedi, a chartered accountant, and Bhagat.

Investigating fraudulent loans from Yes Bank, the Cox and Kings company was placed under the Enforcement Directorate’s purview after it was discovered that ‘fictitious customers’ had been used to launder money borrowed from Rana Kapoor’s bank. The Cox and Kings Group is listed as having an outstanding debt of Rs 3,642 crore with the indebted Yes Bank.

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