Chandigarh, Aug 24 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Chandigarh Zonal Office, conducted search operations last week under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, at eight premises located across Chandigarh, Mohali, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.
The premises were linked to Vijay Raj Kapuria, Varinder Raj, Infimum Enterprises LLP and other associated people and entities.
The ED initiated an investigation based on a first information report (FIR) registered by the Police Station in Sohana in Mohali in Punjab, under various Sections IPC, 1860 and Information Technology Act, 2000. The FIR pertains to the operation of an alleged fraudulent call centre from Plot No 29, Emaar, Sector 108, Mohali. Punjab Police have also filed a charge-sheet against the accused.
Investigation by the ED revealed that the accused, in connivance with overseas associates, allegedly targeted customers in the US and Canada through fraudulent pop-ups and calls relating to printers, iPads and purported Apple or Microsoft technical support.
Deceptive pop-ups or links falsely indicated technical problems in the customers’ systems and displayed toll-free numbers connected to the call centre. Using pre-designed scripts, the operators allegedly induced customers to provide remote access to their systems and make payments for unnecessary or fictitious services, said the ED in a statement.
Funds obtained from the victims were received and transferred through PayPal, Stripe, banking channels, Bitcoin, cryptocurrency and hawala. The funds were thereafter routed through accounts of various overseas entities, predominantly based in the US, including RHL Operating Solutions and RG Security Solutions LLC.
Investigation under PMLA further revealed that the bank account of Infimum Enterprises LLP received foreign remittances from several overseas entities identified as suspected dummy and shell entities.
The searches resulted in the seizure of unaccounted cash amounting to approximately Rs 20 lakh, along with incriminating documents and electronic devices, besides the freezing of bank balances amounting to approximately Rs 50 lakh, said the ED.
–IANS
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