New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Jalandhar Zonal office on Friday said that they have filed a chargesheet against five accused, including Rumi Kalita, Arpit Rathore, Anand Chaudhary, Atanu Chaudhary, and his firm Frozenman Warehousing & Logistics in connection with a money laundering investigation related to the digital arrest case of Industrialist S. P. Oswal.
The ED initiated its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on an FIR registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station, Ludhiana, under the BNSS.
According to the agency, the investigation revealed that proceeds of crime generated from eight other cybercrime cases were also credited in 2024 to the bank account of Frozenman Warehousing and Logistics.
The ED alleged that during the so-called digital arrest of Oswal, fraudsters impersonating officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation extorted Rs 7 crore from him. The investigation found that the funds were routed through multiple mule accounts allegedly operated by accused Rumi Kalita and Arpit Rathore.
It was further alleged that Rumi Kalita was associated with Atanu Choudary and used a bank account belonging to his entity, M/s Frozenman Warehousing and Logistics, to launder illicit proceeds. Funds from other cybercrime and digital arrest cases were also allegedly credited into the accounts of Frozenman Warehousing and Logistics and Rigglo Ventures Pvt Ltd.
The agency stated that the proceeds of crime were subsequently transferred to multiple mule bank accounts systematically to divert and conceal the funds. A portion of the money was allegedly layered through shell entities and routed outside India using trade-based money laundering mechanisms, while the remaining amount was used to acquire virtual digital assets.
The attached bank balance of Rs 1.76 crore was lying in the account of one of the alleged mule entities, Mrityunjya Multitrade, which was allegedly used to receive and route proceeds of crime generated from various cybercrime and digital arrest cases.
The ED further said that several mule bank accounts were opened by inducing economically vulnerable individuals with false promises of arranging loans or providing employment.
Rumi Kalita was arrested by the ED on December 23 last year, while Arpit Rathore was arrested on December 31. Both accused are currently in judicial custody.
Further investigation is ongoing.
