Srinagar, Mar 23 (NVI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached ₹16.86 lakh in connection with a ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud case involving impersonation of law enforcement agencies, officials said on Monday.
In a statement, the ED said the attachment was made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, by its Srinagar Zonal Office. The amount represents proceeds of crime traced to a bank account held in the name of M/s Jeevika Foundations at HDFC Bank, Karol Bagh, New Delhi, operated by accused Gaurav Kumar.
The central agency initiated its probe based on an FIR registered by the Cyber Police Station, Kashmir, and a preliminary chargesheet filed before a Srinagar court.
According to the ED, the accused, along with associates including Gurpreet Singh and Ujwal Chauhan, allegedly ran a well-organised racket by posing as officials from agencies such as TRAI and CBI to extort money.
The victim was allegedly threatened with arrest in a fabricated money laundering case linked to national security and was coerced into liquidating fixed deposits and transferring funds.
A total of ₹21 lakh was fraudulently obtained and routed through the said bank account, officials said, adding that ₹4.13 lakh has already been refunded to the complainant on court orders.
The remaining ₹16.86 lakh has now been attached as proceeds of crime, and further investigation is underway, the ED said.(NVI)
