The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹22.70 crore in connection with the Dahod Fake Government Offices Scam in Gujarat, officials confirmed on Monday, 17 August. The assets, seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, belong to Abubakar Jakirali Saiyad and his family members and associates.

What Was Seized

The attached assets include seven parcels of land, investments in mutual funds, and balances held across multiple bank accounts, according to an official statement from the ED Ahmedabad Zonal Office. The attachment marks a significant escalation in the agency's pursuit of proceeds linked to the elaborate fraud.

How the Scam Operated

The case centres on the creation of six fake government offices of the Irrigation and Water Resources Department in Dahod district. The accused allegedly impersonated government officials, forged official seals and signatures, fabricated documents, and fraudulently obtained government grants. ED investigators found that the accused, acting in conspiracy, secured approval for 121 fake works and siphoned government funds through this network.

The ED initiated its investigation based on an FIR registered by the Dahod Town 'A' Division Police Station in Gujarat. The probe revealed a layered money trail: fraud proceeds were first deposited into 9 bank accounts opened in the names of fictitious government offices, then routed through 18 intermediary accounts, and finally dispersed across 118 additional accounts linked to individuals and entities associated with the accused.

The Money Trail

The illegally obtained funds were subsequently used to acquire properties, make investments, and serve other undisclosed purposes, the ED said. This complex layering structure is consistent with money laundering typologies the agency has flagged in other financial fraud cases across the country. Notably, the use of fake institutional identities to access public funds represents a direct breach of government financial controls.

ED's Warning to the Public

Alongside the attachment order, the ED issued a public advisory cautioning citizens against sharing bank accounts, ATM cards, cheque books, internet banking credentials, OTPs, or KYC documents with anyone in exchange for small payments or commissions. The agency warned that such accounts are routinely exploited as mule accounts to route and layer proceeds of crime arising from cyber frauds and financial scams. The ED stressed that even account holders not directly involved in a fraud can face legal action if their accounts are used for such purposes, and urged the public to report any suspicious requests to the relevant authorities immediately.

The investigation is ongoing, and further attachments or arrests cannot be ruled out as the agency continues to trace the full extent of the financial network.