INDIA. Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed charge sheets against two individuals who deceived people by falsely portraying themselves as having close ties to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) while collecting substantial sums of money under the pretense of facilitating government-related work.
According to the statement released by the ED, one of the accused, Sanjay Prakash Rai, defrauded individuals by presenting himself as having proximity to senior politicians and bureaucrats.
He managed to dupe businessman Gaurav Dalmia of Rs 12 crore, among others, by using threats of arrest in an ongoing ED investigation in New Delhi.
Rai projected himself as an influencer, social worker, and someone associated with PMO.
To carry out his fraudulent activities, Rai established the “Youth Rural Entrepreneur Foundation (YREF)” as a non-profit company in Uttar Pradesh.
Despite being registered in Ghazipur, its operations were conducted from New Delhi. Rai would instruct individuals to deposit money into the YREF account.
The ED had previously attached Rai’s 19 movable properties worth Rs. 14,54,48,189, including 18 bank accounts with a balance of Rs. 13,96,43,189, and a Mercedes AMG car valued at Rs. 58,05,000. Rai was in ED custody from June 03 to June 16.
Similarly, Mohammad Kashif, an accomplice of Rai, has also been charged by the ED for engaging in similar fraudulent activities. Kashif presented himself as having close connections to the PMO and ED, using morphed images with high-ranking officials. During the investigation, cash amounting to Rs. 1,10,50,000, a currency-counting machine, and various documents related to investigations by different agencies were seized from Kashif’s residence in NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh.
Kashif extorted Rs. one crore from a businessman by falsely promising assistance in an ED investigation. He also acquired property worth Rs. 1.78 crore, making a payment of Rs. 1.05 crore in cash. The ED is seeking court permission to confiscate the seized properties and assets.
These incidents highlight the need for vigilance against fraudulent individuals who exploit their purported connections for personal gain and the importance of thorough investigations by law enforcement agencies to bring them to justice.
Also Read: Supertech Limited Chairman R K Arora Arrested by Enforcement Directorate
