On July 8, 2023, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted searches at various locations in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra in connection with the Fake Website Scam. As a result, cash worth Rs. 1.3 Crore was seized, and bank accounts with balances of Rs. 15.8 Lakh were frozen.
On the basis of an FIR filed by the Uttarakhand Police against a number of people about fraud through the Fake Website www.glc.ltd, the ED opened an inquiry under the provisions of the Prevention Money Laundering Act, 2002.
The investigation has shown that www.glc.ltd and other parties were involved in defrauding numerous people by persuading them to participate in various trades through the website. The money was then transferred to other businesses or people before being laundered outside of India through businesses like M/s Digital Media & Entertainment, M/s Irongate Productions Pvt. Ltd., M/s Shelly Cargo & Transport Private Limited, M/s Sunheri Exim Pvt. Ltd., etc. that have bank accounts with the State Bank of Mauritius in Nariman Point, Mumbai.
The operation led to the seizure/freezing of cash and bank balances totalling around Rs.1.46 crore, coupled with several damning papers and supporting evidence to demonstrate the offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the PMLA, 2002. The probe is being expanded upon.
