Connect with us
Saturday,11-January-2025
Breaking News

Crime

ED unearths ₹4,000 crore gaming scam after searches at 25 locations across India; seizes incriminating documents

Published

on

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted search and seizure operations countrywide at 25 locations for forex violations by online gaming apps and websites. The Directorate is probing illegal remittance of Rs 4000 crore sent in the guise of payments for the import of goods and services by foreign registered online gaming companies and websites operating in India.

Searches were conducted on premises linked to several hawala operators, including that of Ashish Kakkar, Neeraj Bedi, Arjun Ashwinbhai Adhikari, Abhijeet Khot and the persons/entities associated with them.

Searches have led to seizure of incriminating documents

Searches have resulted in the seizure of incriminating documents and electronic evidence and the disclosure of interesting modus adopted by them to evade investigative agencies.

The operations were conducted in Delhi (11), Gujarat (7), Maharashtra (4), Madhya Pradesh (2) and Andhra Pradesh (1) on outlets of online gaming companies registered in small island countries such as Curacao, Malta and Cyprus. “However, all of them are linked to Indian bank accounts opened in the name of proxy persons who have no links with online gaming activity,” the probe agency said.

ED also seized electronic devices establishing foreign outward remittances of thousands of crores collected from public through gaming websites using accounts of dummy firms opened in the name of proxy persons.

Probe identified 55 bank accs being used for layering, remitting income

The probe identified 55 bank accounts of firms being used for layering and remitting income generated from online gaming in the guise of remittances against import of goods and services.

ED officials claimed that the amount collected from the public through gaming websites was routed through multiple bank accounts and finally remitted out of India by declaring the purpose of remittances against the import of services and goods. “Remittances out of the income from racing, riding, etc. or any other hobby are not allowed under the provisions of FEMA, 1999,” said an ED official.

Company heads open accounts in name of their employees and sending remittances

According to the ED, hundreds of companies have been opened by key persons in the name of their employees for layering and sending remittances to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore in the guise of payments for the import of goods and services.

Several PAN and Aadhaar cards used for creating such firms and mobiles used for operating bank accounts were also seized.

The probe found key persons were using international virtual mobile numbers for instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, etc. and using pseudo-names such as Pablo, John, Watson, etc. for masking their actual identity.

To escape probe agencies, culprits use remote access apps

“To escape from investigating agencies, they are using remote-based servers and laptops which are being used through remote access apps such Any desk, Team Viewer,” explained a probe official adding that seizures made include incriminating documents and electronic devices establishing foreign outward remittances of thousands of crores. These were collected from public through gaming websites using accounts of dummy firms opened in the name of proxy persons who are not linked with the gaming activities; Rs. 19.55 lakh in cash, US$2695 and 55 bank accounts have been frozen.

Crime

West Bengal: Pregnant Woman Dies, 5 Others Critically Ill After ‘Expired’ Saline Being Injected At Midnapore Hospital, BJP Slams Mamata Government

Published

on

Midnapore: A pregnant woman died on Friday at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal’s Paschim Midnapore. The family members of the deceased raised serious concerns about the saline given to the woman. The deceased has been identified as Mamoni Das. Meanwhile, five others are critically ill. A 10-member enquiry committee was formed by the West Bengal Health Department.

The committee will reportedly visit the hospital on Saturday. The action was taken after the family of the deceased lodged a complaint with the police. Meanwhile, the health department directed the authorities to replace all the existing saline stock. A detailed report has also been sought from the principal of the medical college. The state health officials also demanded an explanation on reports of using expired saline.

The woman gave birth to a baby on Wednesday. She was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after her condition deteriorated. Das breathed her last on Friday. She was 21 years old. The incident drew strong criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.

The saffron party raised questions on the health facilities under the Mamata Banerjee government in the state. “Shame on the crumbling healthcare system in West Bengal under the disastrous regime of @MamataOfficial! A pregnant woman DIED after being given EXPIRED saline at a govt hospital in Midnapore, and several others now fight for their lives,” the BJP said in its official X post.

This is the price mothers pay under your so-called “development”? Your negligence has turned hospitals into death traps! West Bengal deserves accountability, not your hollow promises and PR stunts. How much more blood will stain your hands, @MamataOfficial?” it added.

The husband of a critically ill woman told the media house that Das stopped passing out urine after giving birth to the baby and was then shifted to the ICU. He alleged that the medical college staff gave the wrong saline.

A large police contingent has reportedly been deployed outside the hospital to avoid any untoward incident.

Continue Reading

Crime

AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi found dead, family claims he shot himself accidentally

Published

on

Ludhiana, Jan 11: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from the Ludhiana West constituency in Punjab, Gurpreet Gogi Bassi, was declared dead after being shot with bullet injuries late Friday and was declared dead upon arrival at the DMC hospital, police said.

However, the family of the MLA claims he accidentally shot himself and sustained bullet injuries resulting in several head injuries.

Speaking to the media, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jaskaran Singh Teja said, “As per the family members, he shot himself accidentally and sustained bullet injuries to his head. Gurpreet Gogi was declared dead at the hospital, his body has been kept at the mortuary in the DMC hospital.”

Additionally, the DCP mentioned that the cause of death would be determined once the post-mortem report is received.

“Cause of the death will be clear once the post-mortem reports come..” the DCP further added.

The incident occurred around Friday midnight, and the MLA was declared dead upon arrival at DMC hospital, according to officials.

The MLA’s death was confirmed by district AAP President Sharanpal Singh Makkar and the Commissioner of Police Kuldeep Singh Chahal.

“The incident happened around midnight, and he was declared dead when he was brought to the DMC hospital…” said DCP Jaskaran Singh.

Further investigations are underway. Gogi joined the Aam Aadmi Party in 2022 and defeated two-time former Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu during the Ludhiana Assembly elections.

His wife Sukhchain Kaur Gogi was also a contestant in the Municipal Corporation elections but lost to Congress candidate Inderjit Singh Indi.

In August 2024, Gurpreet Bassi Gogi destroyed the foundation stone of a pipeline project in Buddha Nullah, for which he laid the foundation stone in 2022.

Gogi had expressed frustration over the delays in the project and Speaker Sandhwan had promised strict action against any hindrance to the clean-up project in response to the AAP MLA’s grievances.

Before his death, on Friday, he also visited Prachin Sheetla Mata Mandir and promised devotees that he would take action against a gang of burglars who had stolen silver from the temple two days ago.

Continue Reading

Crime

Kurla BEST Bus Tragedy: Court Denies Bail To Driver Sanjay More

Published

on

Mumbai: A Mumbai court on Friday denied bail to the driver of the BEST bus involved in the December 10 accident in Kurla East, which resulted in the deaths of seven persons and injured more than 40.

An electric bus of the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking had hit several vehicles late night that day on the arterial SG Barve Road, following which driver Sanjay More was arrested under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

More’s bail plea was rejected by Additional Sessions Judge VM Pathade, though a detailed order has not been made available as yet.

In his plea filed through advocate Samadhan Sulane, More had claimed the accident was the result of a mechanical fault in the bus and that he had been unjustly arrested.

The prosecution, however, contended no technical fault was found in the ill-fated bus.

After hearing arguments from both sides, judge Pathade rejected More’s bail plea.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending