On June 27, 2023, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted searches at 14 locations in Jaipur, Nagaur, Mathura, Kanpur, Allahabad, and Lucknow in connection with a case of fraud with foreign nationals disguised as cheaper/concessional loans by mastermind Shahnawaz Ahmed Jeelani pseudonym David Morrison and Mahmud Khan and others.
As a result of the searches, the ED confiscated a total of Rs 90.37 lakhs in cash from three distinct locations, as well as incriminating paperwork from active International Call Centres in Mathura that had the information of thousands of foreign individuals who had been deceived by them over the years. The ED has followed the money trail of over Rs 54 crore in criminal gains wired to India through more than 50 businesses owned by Shahnawaz Ahmed Jeelani, Mahmud Khan, and others.
They were now operating two International Call Centres in Mathura at night, defrauding foreign citizens from the United States, Canada, the Philippines, and other countries. Some of the people working in these call centres were discovered to be the same people who worked in Jaipur Call Centres during a search and arrest by the Rajasthan Police in FIRs by Cyber Police Station, ATS & SOG, Jaipur, Rajasthan, on the basis of which an ECIR was recorded and an investigation was launched by the ED. By imitating phoney Indians, this syndicate established virtual entities in the United States.
The ED has detained Shahnawaz Ahamed Jeelani and two close associates, Vipin Kumar Sharma and Viraj Singh Kuntal, who were running International Call Centres in Mathura. The Hon’ble Special Court awarded the ED custody of Shahnawaz Ahamed Jeelani and two of his colleagues till July 5, 2023. More research is being conducted.
