- विज्ञापन -
Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted extensive raids at seven locations in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, seizing assets worth Rs 13.5 crore related to a major investigation. This case, initiated on November 7, concerns alleged illicit activities linked to the Nashik Merchant Cooperative (NAMCO) Bank in Malegaon.
The investigation began following a police complaint regarding suspicious deposits exceeding Rs 100 crore in 14 newly opened accounts at NAMCO Bank. The FIR identified Siraj A. M. Harun Memon, a beverages agency operator, as the main suspect, along with his accomplices who allegedly used fake identity documents obtained through deception to layer and transfer the proceeds of these crimes.
Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has framed the matter as an alleged ‘Vote-Jihad’ case, highlighting that these dubious transactions coincided with the lead-up to the Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20. The ED found that at least five additional accounts linked to this scheme were active at the Bank of Maharashtra’s Nashik branch.
A closer examination of the money trail revealed that funds from the 14 NAMCO Bank accounts were transferred to 21 sole proprietary concerns through online banking. The investigation further uncovered that substantial cash withdrawals were made from these fraudulent accounts by individuals Akram M. Shafi and Vasim V. Bhesaniya, who then distributed the cash using ‘angadiyas’ (couriers) or posed as ‘hawala’ operators in cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, and Mumbai.
The ED asserted that Bhesaniya and Shafi, who have since been arrested on money-laundering charges, operated under the direction of one Mehmood Bhagad, also known as Challenger King. Last month, the ED executed about 25 searches across Ahmedabad, Surat, Nashik, and Mumbai, resulting in the discovery of Rs 5.20 crore in bank balances, along with incriminating documents, digital evidence, and further financial transactions.
