Kulwant Hare has stepped down as director of Eastenders Cash & Carry plc and nine other companies.

Hare resigned from the cash & carry and eight ­companies linked to it on 24 February and from another wholesaler, Super Brew (Europe) Limited, on the 25th.

Hare, who has been replaced by Sukhdev Singh Bhandal, resigned two days after a judge at the Old Bailey dismissed a CPS application to freeze his assets alongside those of director Alex Windsor, who resigned from Eastenders (Croydon) Limited on 24th February.

Mr Justice Mackay also ordered the CPS to pay Hare and Windsor's legal costs in defending the application. They remain on police bail until June but have not been charged with any crime.

Lawyers for Eastenders declined to comment.