28-year-old history-sheeter arrested in Mumbai for extorting businessmen

Ershad Maqsud Khan has had 20 cases registered against him between 2012 and 2018, including robbery, extortion and rape.

Powai police arrested a 28-year-old history-sheeter after he was caught threatening and attempting to extort local businessmen on Friday. Ershad Maqsud Khan has had 20 cases registered against him between 2012 and 2018, including robbery, extortion and rape.

Ershad Maqsud Khan (HT photo)

According to the police, Khan was arrested in 2018 and was sent to jail for two cases of robbery.

In December 2018, he was granted bail. Soon after, he allegedly started extorting shopkeepers and local businessmen around Milind Nagar. The police said Khan is part of a gang that is active in Powai and notorious for threatening owners of small businesses in the area.

On Thursday, the situation turned violent. “When shop owners in the area got to know about him [Khan] extorting money from one of the known local businessman, they tried to resist him,” said an officer familiar with the case. Khan found himself surrounded and pulled out a knife.

Before making his exit, he injured one of the gathered men. “Locals in the area earlier did not gather courage owing to his [Khan’s] criminal history, but when he attacked them with a knife, they approached the police,” the officer added.

The police said they’ve taken statements of witnesses, including the businessman whom Khan had attacked on Thursday, to make a strong charge sheet. “We made the businessman a witness and can’t reveal his name,” said the officer. Khan will be produced in court on Saturday.