New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS): The Delhi Police have booked seven persons for allegedly posing as 'ED officers' and conducting raid at a person's residence here in the Chhatarpur area while also demanding Rs 5 crore from the individual, an official said on Friday.

In a statement, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said that its Delhi Zone office learnt on October 22 at around 12 p.m. that some people posing as ED officers were conducting a fake ED search in the national capital's Ashoka Avenue at DLF Farms in Chhatarpur.

"It was also informed that the fake ED officers have taken the victim to Kotak Mahindra Bank, Hauz Khas to withdraw Rs 5 crore from the bank account of the victim so that the same can be taken away in the name of ED raid. On receipt of the information, an ED team was immediately rushed to Kotak Manindra bank, Hauz Khas," the ED statement said.

The police were also alerted following which a police team comprising senior officers reached the spot immediately.

"On reaching the bank, it was found by the ED team and police that the lawyer of the victim had reached the bank and had questioned the fake ED officers and had sought to see their ID cards. The fake ED officers grew suspicious of being caught and ran away before the bank gates could be closed by the bank manager," the ED said.

The victim said that seven persons came to his house the previous night (October 21) in two cars and claimed to be ED officers who had come for executing a raid.

"Some of them kept their faces masked to avoid detection of identity. Three persons interacted without masks. They enquired the victim as to why he was withdrawing cash regularly from his bank account. They also showed him some cheques of his old bank account. The fake ED officers threatened to arrest him and take him away unless he agreed to pay them crores of rupees. The victim stated that the money could be taken out only from the bank next morning. The fake ED officers stayed at the victim’s house the entire night," the statement read.

The next day, the fake ED officers took him to Kotak Mahindra Bank in Hauz Khas to withdraw money.

However, the victim managed to send a message to his lawyer about the episode.

"On receiving the message, the victim's lawyer had come to bank and questioned the fake ED officers behind the reason for the raid, and also sought to see their ID cards. The fake ED officers grew suspicious of being caught and ran away. It was found that the fake ED officers at the house of victim had also ran away leaving behind the cars they came as the gates were locked.

"The Delhi Police immediately recorded the statement of the victim and has registered an FIR. The cars in which the suspects came to raid the victim have been seized by Delhi Police," the ED statement read.