Did the ED file supplementary charge sheets for separate money laundering cases in West Bengal?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- ED has filed two supplementary charges linked to money laundering.
- Fiewin app involved in significant fraud.
- Approximately Rs 400 crore was generated through illegal means.
- Chinese nationals allegedly played a key role in the operation.
- Assets worth Rs 25.78 crore have been seized.
Kolkata, Dec 19 (NationPress) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Friday that it has submitted two supplementary prosecution complaints concerning separate money laundering cases in West Bengal, filed at a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata. One complaint was filed on December 12, while the other was submitted on December 8.
The complaint lodged on December 8 pertains to the online gaming application Fiewin.
According to the statement released by the ED, this supplementary prosecution complaint involves Utkarsh Arya and Sujit Kumar Jha, who are accused of engaging in the concealment, possession, and acquisition of Proceeds of Crime (POC). Additionally, twelve companies owned by Sujit Kumar Jha were implicated for being utilized as a corporate structure to hide the POC generated by the Fiewin gaming app operators, falsely presenting it as legitimate business income.
On the other hand, the supplementary prosecution complaint filed on December 8 concerns a case against R.P. Infosystems Limited.
The ED has accused Ontrack Systems Limited of committing money laundering by engaging in the concealment, possession, acquisition, and utilization of the POC, along with Hari Balasubramanian, who is charged with knowingly facilitating and failing to prevent the exploitation of company accounts and assets for money laundering.
The ED has reported that the Fiewin gaming application launched during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and operated until June 2023.
“The app was marketed as a platform for quick and easy earnings, promoted through YouTube, Facebook, and other digital avenues. It featured simple games such as Minesweeper and color prediction, relying entirely on luck rather than player skill. The ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR registered by Cossipore Police Station in Kolkata under various sections of the IPC, 1860, against unidentified individuals for cheating and conspiracy via the Fiewin online gaming app,” the statement from the ED elaborated.
Investigations revealed that Chinese nationals operated the app with the assistance of Indian nationals, with the accused and their affiliated companies transferring the POC to the Chinese nationals.
“The investigation uncovered that around Rs 400 crore was generated from the Fiewin App fraud, which was credited into Binance wallets registered under Chinese nationals' names. Communication and instructions were exchanged between the Chinese nationals and the accused via digital platforms, particularly Telegram groups,” the ED's statement continued.
Assets worth Rs 25.78 crore have already been seized in connection with this case.