New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that it has attached movable and immovable assets to the tune of Rs 67.23 crore belonging to Kunal Gupta, his family members, companies and his associates in the case of fake call centre fraud by Met Technologies Pvt Ltd and others.
The ED action is under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The financial probe agency in a statement said that the attached properties are in form of balance in 35 bank accounts, 14 cars and 12 immovable properties (total valued to Rs 61.84 crore) and immovable properties include one resort, a villa both in Goa, 10 commercial offices orflats or apartments or lands in Kolkata and Bengaluru.
The agency’s probe revealed that the representatives of the said company targeted gullible residents in the US, the UK, and Australia.
“Posing as representatives of legitimate businesses, they defrauded individuals through bogus tech support offers, deceptive website sales, and sham loan offers via counterfeit Mobile Apps, coercing victims into substantial payments and generated proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 126 crore,” the ED said.
“Gupta was the mastermind in running fake call centres at the office premises of his company.He is also involved in illegal betting and online gambling activities,” the ED said.
“It was revealed that the tainted money was introduced, layered and finally laundered through a complex web of companies, which were owned and controlled by Gupta and his family members, his company employees and himself.
The proceeds of crime were actually used and projected as untainted through the hospitality sector -- including hotels, clubs, and cafes, the ED said.
Earlier, Gupta was arrested on September 10 this year and the ED had also carried out searches at his residential and commercial premises, his key employees and his companies.
The ED case is based on the FIR registered by Bidhannagar Police alleging serious offences, including cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy under various sections of the IPC against Met Technologies Pvt. Ltd and its associates.
The ensuing investigation unearthed an illegal call centre run by the company in Salt Lake, Kolkata, engaging in fraudulent activities both domestically and internationally. This call centre was subsequently sealed by state police.