Kolkata, July 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told on Friday that it had filed a charge sheet against VRM Business Services Private Limited, a Kolkata-based Information Technology (IT) firm and its directors, Rajesh Goenka and others accused of running an illegal call centre and siphoning crores of rupees from common people.
The charge sheet had been filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, a statement issued by ED claimed.
"Earlier, the ED had seized valuables and frozen the bank accounts worth Rs 2.35 crore and had also provisionally attached immovable property valued at Rs 11.14 crore under PMLA, 2002," the ED statement said.
According to the probe agency, the ED initiated an investigation based on FIR registered by Electronics Complex Bidhannagar Police Station against Rajesh Goenka and others on the basis of a complaint that they were operating an unauthorised call centre and duping customers by impersonating representatives of reputed service providers and failing to render any service and thus defrauding the foreign nationals under the guise of providing software services.
"Investigation under PMLA unearthed that VRM Business Services Private Limited and its Director Rajesh Goenka provided the requisite infrastructure to operate illegal call centres at their premises and the callers used to dupe foreign nationals behind the pretext of providing software services," the ED statement added.
The central investigating agency added that the accused company and its accused directors acquired at least Rs 20.35 crore by defrauding foreign nationals and the same strategy was deployed for acquisition of jewelleries and immovable properties, among others.
"Rajesh Goenka through his company VRM Business Services Private Limited was the primary beneficiary of the proceeds of crime. Further, the callers of illegal call centre operating from the premises of VRM Business Services Private Limited were also among the beneficiaries of proceeds of crime," the ED statement said.
The ED investigation revealed that unauthorised establishment run at the behest of Rajesh Goenka was systematically engaged in defrauding foreign nationals, through impersonation, coercion, and fraudulent manipulation of computer systems.
"The fraudsters, impersonating representatives of reputed multinational corporations, contacted foreign-based victims via VoIP-based calls, threatened them under false pretenses, and induced them to make payments for gift vouchers, non-existent services, including subscription cancellations and technical support. This resulted in wrongful gain to the perpetrators and wrongful loss to multiple foreign nationals," the ED statement said.
Source: IANS
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