New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS): Delhi police Crime Branch on Sunday arrested four persons allegedly involved in an extortion case.

The accused were involved in sending fake notices to their targeted persons in the name of Enforcement Directorate (ED) and threatening them to call for questioning, police said.

"Preliminary enquiry revealed that notices sent by Rajiv Singh, special regional officer are fake as no such officer with this name and designation exists. Mostly they used to target businessmen or rich people and carried out extortion using fake notices and threatening them," police added.

The main accused in the case Santosh Rai alias Rajiv Singh, who has earlier worked on film Godse was using his mobile applications to make the number seem like one belonging to the ED headquarters to threaten the targeted persons. "Rai used to make people his victims using different tactics. Recently, he had also created his fake ID on a matrimonial site and victimized women. Earlier, he was arrested by CBI in 2019 and has more than 50 cases against him," said Monika Bhardwaj, DCP crime branch.

Rai has a long history of cheating and extortion all across the country. He was earlier involved in various other cases of extortion in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Uttar Pradesh and other places.

Three others who were arrested in this connection have been identified as Bhupender Singh Gusain, a resident of Dilshad Colony. Gusain has been associated with a law firm since 2002 in Patiala House court.

The third accused has been identified as Kuldeep Kumar, a resident of Yamuna Vihar. He had joined the group through his friend Bhupender Singh Gusain. The role of the fourth accused, identified as Sanjay, in the case was to watch the activities of victims.

"Santosh Rai, who was posing as Rajiv Singh, an ED official, and Bhupender Singh, who was posing as an advocate, were arrested from near the Parliament Street police station where they had come to receive extortion money," police said, adding, the further investigations are continuing to ascertain their involvement in recent crimes."