An Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer sustained minor injuries on Thursday when a team from the agency was attacked while conducting a raid in connection with a cyber fraud case in Delhi’s Bijwasan area. The injured official, identified as an additional director of the ED, continued with the operation after receiving first aid.
Details of the Incident
The ED team was raiding the farmhouse of Ashok Sharma, a chartered accountant (CA) allegedly linked to a massive cybercrime network. Upon arrival, the team was reportedly assaulted by Sharma and his family members. Five individuals were involved in the attack, one of whom fled the scene.
“The premises have been secured, and an FIR is being filed,” the ED stated. Visuals from the location revealed damaged furniture inside the farmhouse. The local police have launched a manhunt for the suspects involved in the assault.
Scope of the Investigation
The raid was part of a larger operation by the ED’s High-Intensity Unit (HIU) targeting top chartered accountants implicated in laundering proceeds from extensive cybercrime activities. These crimes include phishing scams, QR code fraud, and part-time job scams.
With assistance from the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND), the ED uncovered the layering of illicit funds into over 15,000 mule accounts. These accounts were used to obtain debit and credit cards, which then funded UAE-based Pyypl Payment Aggregator accounts. The funds were subsequently converted into cryptocurrency.
Significance of the Operation
The probe highlights the growing nexus between financial crimes and cyber fraud. According to the ED, the laundering network was orchestrated by suspicious chartered accountants who used sophisticated methods to conceal proceeds from thousands of cybercrimes.
The FIU-IND, the central agency for monitoring suspicious financial transactions, and the I4C, tasked with addressing cybercrime nationwide, have been pivotal in unraveling this intricate web of illegal activities.
The ED continues its investigation into the case, aiming to dismantle the network and bring those involved to justice.
