Surat, Nov 18 (IANS) Three immovable properties worth Rs 2.13 crore were attached by the ED in a money laundering case linked to an investigation into multiple cybercrime cases, including digital arrests, involving more than Rs 100 crore, an official said on Tuesday.

The culprits allegedly converted the ill-gotten money from their victims into cryptocurrency (USDT) by routing the cash through various ‘Hawala Operators’, the ED said.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Surat Sub-Zonal Office, provisionally attached the properties belonging to Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor and his family members on Monday, said the official in a statement.

Earlier, during ED investigation, four accused, namely Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor, Kaashif Makbul Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai and Om Rajendra Pandya were arrested under the PMLA, 2002, for commission of various offences under the Act.

Based on the investigation conducted by the Special Operations Group of Surat Police, the ED initiated an investigation under the provisions of PMLA, 2002, against Makbul Doctor and others.

In the instant case, Makbul Doctor, his sons Kaashif and Bassam and other accomplices have defrauded the gullible people through various cyber frauds such as digital arrests, forex trading, and threatening innocent individuals by sending fake notices of law enforcement agencies like the “Supreme Court of India and ED.”

As a part of their modus operandi for laundering the Proceeds of Crime, they have opened or arranged bank accounts in the name of their employees/associates/hired persons for the collection and accumulation of PoC.

Further, for operating the said bank accounts, the accused have obtained pre-activated SIM Cards by using a similar modus operandi, the ED said in a statement.

During the investigation under the provisions of money laundering, the ED investigators found that Makbul Doctor, Kaashif Makbul Doctor and others have laundered the PoC generated out of the criminal activities by converting the same into cryptocurrency (USDT) by routing the cash through various ‘Hawala Operators’ to evade regulatory scrutiny and facilitate money laundering.

–IANS

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