NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it has arrested a man who had threatened its officers against taking action to auction properties worth ₹428 crore in an investment fraud in Hyderabad.
The suspect, identified by ED as Kalyan Banerjee, was arrested from Secunderabad on Saturday. He was remanded in ED custody till January 23.
An ED statement said Kalyan Banerjee had been engaged by the Heera Group founder Nowhera Shaik and her associates to reach out to ED officials to manipulate the probe and protect their assets from ED action.
In phone calls with ED officers, Banerjee falsely claimed to be close to several high-ranking bureaucrats and political leaders and sought to interfere in the investigation, the statement said.
The case pertains to the ED investigation in connection with money laundering charges against Nowhera Shaik, and others who are accused of running a ponzi scheme that raised ₹5,978 crore from the public on the promise of 36% returns
ED said that it had attached assets worth ₹428 crore in this case and received the Supreme Court approval to auction these properties so that funds obtained from them can be restored to the victims.
However, Nowhera Shaik has repeatedly tried to stall the action process before the Supreme COurt as well as the Telangaa high court. Shaik also filed a petition in the high court to stop the last auction conducted on January 5. The said petition was dismissed by the high court and exemplary cost of ₹5 crore was imposed on Shaik, which she has to deposit into the PM relief fund
“Kalyan Banerjee started messaging and calling ED officers and falsely projected himself as close to several high-ranking bureaucrats and politicians. He tried to entice the officers to manipulate the auction process but when he was categorically told to follow due process of law, he started threatening the officers and put pressure on them to stall the auction process,” ED statement said.
It was found that he was impersonating as a consultant to various departments and being close to senior bureaucrats and politicians, it added.
Banerjee’s mobile phones, ED said, show incriminating WhatsApp messages with Shaik and her associates.
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