Actor Prakash Raj Gets ED Summons In Ponzi Scheme Money Laundering Case
ED summoned actor Prakash Raj for questioning in an alleged money laundering case linked to a ponzi scheme.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned actor Prakash Raj for questioning in an alleged money laundering case linked to a ponzi scheme, news agency ANI reported.
The ED summon pertains to an alleged fraud case to the tune of Rs 100 crore against a Tiruchirapalli-based jewellery group.
According to a report by news agency PTI, the ED probe is in connection to a case against Pranav Jewellers, a partnership company based in Tiruchirapalli. The probe agency had raided the firm on November 20 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ED claimed to have seized "unexplained" cash of Rs 23.70 lakh and some gold jewellery weighing 11.60 kg during its raids.
Prakash Raj has been a brand ambassador of the company. He has been asked to appear before the ED in Chennai next week.
The ED wants to record Prakash Raj’s statement and probe some purported payments made by the firm to the Bengaluru-based actor, PTI reported.
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According to the report, the ponzi scheme, allegedly run by Pranav Jewellers, came under the ED scanner after an FIR was registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Trichy. The FIR was filed against Pranav Jewellers and others allegedly involved in financial “wrongdoing”.
According to the Economic Offences Wing, Pranav Jewellers and others collected Rs 100 crore from the public on the pretext of a gold investment scheme with the promise of high returns. However, the firm failed to fulfil its promise.
“Pranav Jewellers failed to return the amount to such investors and the firm (Pranav Jewellers) and other connected persons cheated the public by diverting public funds to shell entities/entry providers under the garb of purchase of bullion/gold ornaments,” the Enforcement Directorate said in the statement.
It is to be noted that the jewellery chain has branches in several places in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
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