The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested four individuals, namely Soumyadri Shekhar Bose (also known as Suman Bose), the former managing director of M/s Siemens Industry Software India Pvt Ltd (SISW), Vikas Vinayak Khanvelkar (the managing director of M/s Designtech Systems Pvt Ltd), Mukul Chandra Agrawal (the former financial advisor and authorized signatory of M/s Skillar Enterprises India Pvt Ltd), and Suresh Goyal (a chartered accountant), on charges of money laundering.
All four accused were brought before the Hon’ble Special PMLA Court in Visakhapatnam, which awarded the Enforcement Directorate seven days’ custody of the accused.
The PMLA probe was launched in response to an FIR filed by the AP CID alleging fraudulent use of government funds totalling Rs. 241 crores. An ED investigation revealed that government funds given to Designtech Systems Pvt Ltd were diverted and syphoned off through M/s Skillar Enterprises India Pvt Ltd and then through a web of shell companies under the guise of supplying software/hardware/materials/services without any genuine supplies.
The goal of such diversion of funds, according to PMLA investigation, was to create cash and therefore syphon off money from the system without using it for the Siemens Projects for which monies were sanctioned by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. During ED investigations, a money trail of around Rs. 70 crore has been uncovered. In this situation, more inquiry is underway.
