A team of ED officials was attacked in the Bijwasan area of South West Delhi on Thursday while raiding the farmhouse of a chartered accountant (CA) in connection with a money laundering case.
Additional Director Suraj Yadav, who led the team, received minor injuries in the incident, a Delhi police official said.
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“On receiving information that an ED team was manhandled in the Bijwasan area, SHO Kapashera and his team rushed to the spot where the raid was being conducted under the leadership of Suraj Yadav. It was learnt that Ashok Kumar, a chartered accountant, owns the farmhouse. The raid was conducted in connection with a money laundering case,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (South West) Surendra Chaudhary said.
“The ED team comprised two women CRPF officers, and a male CRPF officer joined later upon being called. Yash, a relative of Ashok Kumar, has been arrested,” he added.
ED’s High-Intensity Unit (HIU) is investigating money laundering linked to organised cybercrimes. Thousands of cases, including phishing, QR code, part-time job scams, and call centre scams reported to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (i4c), were analysed by the ED with FIU-IND’s assistance, officials said.
An organised network of CAs and cryptocurrency traders was found to be operating, using around 15,000 mule accounts used to layer proceeds from cybercrimes. In lieu of this, debit and credit cards were obtained and used to top up virtual accounts to purchase cryptocurrency.
ED’s HIU conducted simultaneous searches at multiple locations on Thursday and seized incriminating material. During the raid at Bijwasan in Delhi, CA Ashok Sharma and his brother assaulted an ED officer and fled after causing injuries. An FIR is being filed, and searches are ongoing, officials said.
