ED attaches property worth Rs 1.08 cr in fake call centre fraud racket

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a Provisional Attachment Order (PAO) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act of properties worth about Rs 5.23 crore in connection with a case of fake call centres duping residents of USA, UK, and Australia.

The provisionally attached properties included multiple flats and 37 horses.

According to ED, the case was initially registered at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime police station which was later taken over by the central agency as an angle of money laundering was found during an initial enquiry. It was found that a man identified as Kunal Gupta, owner of M/s Met Technologies Pvt Ltd and his associate Pawan Jaiswal used to control an international cyber fraud network targeting the residents of USA, UK and Australia. From the fake call centres people used to cheat on the pretext of tech support, loans via counterfeit Apps, and fraudulent business transactions.

The proceeds of crime were layered and laundered through various companies. ED investigation further revealed that one of the companies was used as a medium to launder funds, with money being utilised for the purchase, maintenance, and training of horses. Race winnings generated from these horses, themselves linked to criminal proceeds, were reinvested, perpetuating a cycle of laundering.