Probe Agency Arrests West Bengal Man Who Extorted Money By Posing As Its Officer

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday said it has arrested a man from West Bengal who allegedly impersonated as its officer and extorted money from businessmen by threatening them with money laundering investigation or on the pretext of settling an ongoing probe.

S K Jinnar Ali was taken into custody after raids were conducted at various locations in Kolkata and Bardhaman on Wednesday. A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court sent him to ED custody till July 16, the agency said in a statement.

The money laundering case stems from an FIR registered by Bidhannagar police station in Kolkata against some people who extorted money from businessmen by portraying themselves as ED officers, it said.

"The modus operandi involved identifying certain businessmen and targeting them to extort money. Such businessmen would be contacted by the accused over phone.

"The accused also summoned the businessmen to appear in front of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, under the pretense of an official inquiry which, in reality, does not exist," the ED said.

To create an illusion of legitimacy, the accused individuals would arrive in a Toyota Fortuner car, which displayed an ED insignia, it said.

The ED found that under "repeated" threats of office raids, property seizure and arrest, a businessman was coerced to pay Rs 1.30 crore in cash and Rs 20 lakh in the bank account of an accused.

Ali was also "involved" in cheating money from other victims by false assurances of helping in ongoing investigations. In one such instance, he "extorted" Rs 1.5 crore from a victim, the agency said.

Two vehicles (Honda Amaze and Hyundai Aura) owned by Ali and his wife were seized during the searches and deposits worth Rs 45.89 lakh lying in his and his wife's bank accounts apart from that in the account of a company named Sparklink Management Service Private Limited have been frozen, it said.

The ED said it also seized forged letters in the name of the central agency and other government authorities bearing fabricated seals and forged signatures.

Also, multiple lanyards printed with "Government of India" were recovered from Ali's residence. Besides, a letterhead of the Ministry of Home Affairs embossed with the Ashoka Emblem (State Emblem of India) was also seized by the agency sleuths.

"Jinnar Ali projected himself as the chairman of an organisation named The National Anti-Trafficking Committee. On its website he claims that it is a national organisation established in 1962 and registered under NITI Aayog, vide no. WB/2018/0203440 Government of India.

"The website https://natcgov.in/ is designed to resemble an official government domain, thereby misleading the public into believing it is a legitimate government website," the ED said.

The agency said people should not fall prey to such fraudsters and check summons issued to them at a link provided on the ED website -- https://enforcementdirectorate.gov.in/.

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