Chennai: The enforcement directorate (ED) had attached assets worth Rs 3.8 crore in connection with its money laundering probe into how two Chennai-based banks were cheated by persons impersonating the identities of various people, including that of the noted tennis player and Hollywood film producer Ashok Amritraj.
ED sleuths believe that three people - identified as T.S. Anantharaj Stephen, Franklin Samuelraj Toney and D.R. Naik – had cheated Canara Bank and Indian Overseas Bank branches in Chennai, defrauding the banks to the tune of '17 crore by impersonation. ED issued a provisional attachment order for seizure of three immovable assets, fixed deposits and gold ornaments worth Rs 3.8 crore of the accused. During the probe it was found that the accused Anantharaj Stephen had opened a bank account in the name of Ashok Amritraj in Canara Bank with the collusion of bank officials by impersonating him and then diverted the encashed amount of fixed deposits worth about 7 crore to that account and withdrew the same.
The proceeds of crime were utilised for various purposes, including acquiring some properties. “In another instance, with the collusion of the bank officials, the accused diverted about Rs 8 crore from the Canara Bank account of an organisation to the accounts of two companies floated by the accused and the same was withdrawn and utilised for their personal purposes,” the agency said in a statement.
It added that ED took over the case and began a probe under the provisions of PMLA after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR and chargesheet in the same case. “It was also further noticed that the same person impersonated a director of a chit fund company and also cheated IOB to the tune of '2.55 crore,” it said.
In another case, ED attached properties worth '1 crore belonging to Maruvoor Arasi Textiles Pvt. Ltd. at Udumalpet, Tiruppur in connection with money laundering case and alleged bank fraud by the firm.
