X: @the_news_21
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mumbai Zonal Office, has taken significant action by provisionally attaching immovable and movable properties worth Rs. 97.79 Crore belonging to Ripu Sudan Kundra, also known as Raj Kundra, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The attached properties include a residential flat situated in Juhu, currently registered under the name of Smt. Shilpa Shetty, a residential bungalow located in Pune, and equity shares in the name of Raj Kundra.
The investigation by the ED was initiated based on multiple FIRs filed by the Maharashtra Police and Delhi Police against M/s Variable Tech Pte Ltd, Late Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj, and numerous MLM agents. The FIRs alleged that they had amassed substantial funds, amounting to Rs. 6600 Crore in Bitcoins alone in 2017, from unsuspecting members of the public, promising a monthly return of 10% in the form of Bitcoins.
These collected Bitcoins were purportedly meant for Bitcoin mining, with investors anticipating significant returns in crypto assets. However, the promoters of the scheme deceived investors and concealed the ill-gotten Bitcoins in obscure online wallets. The ED’s investigation uncovered that Raj Kundra had received 285 Bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj, the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi Scam, for establishing a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. These Bitcoins were sourced from the proceeds of crime collected by Amit Bhardwaj from unsuspecting investors.
Although the planned deal did not materialize, Kundra retains possession and control of the 285 Bitcoins, presently valued at over Rs. 150 Crore. Earlier, the ED conducted multiple search operations, leading to the arrest of three individuals: Simpy Bhardwaj on December 17, 2023, Nitin Gaur on December 29, 2023, and Nikhil Mahajan on January 16, 2023. Presently, all three are in judicial custody.
The primary accused, Ajay Bhardwaj and Mahendra Bhardwaj, remain at large. Previously, the ED had attached properties worth Rs. 69 Crore in connection with this case. The Prosecution Complaint was filed in 2019, with a Supplementary Prosecution Complaint submitted in February 2024, highlighting the seriousness and ongoing nature of the investigation.
