New Delhi, Nov 18 (UNI) The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Surat Sub-Zonal Office announced on Tuesday the attachment of three immovable properties worth Rs. 2.13 crore belonging to Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor and his family. The action is part of an ongoing investigation into multiple cybercrime fraud cases involving Proceeds of Crime (POC) exceeding Rs. 100 crore.
A senior ED official stated that the investigation was initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on a case filed by the Special Operation Group of Surat Police.
“In this case, Makbul Doctor, his sons Kaashif Makbul Doctor and Bassam Makbul Doctor, along with other accomplices, defrauded gullible people through various cyber frauds. These included ‘digital arrests,’ fake forex trading schemes, and threatening innocent individuals by sending fraudulent notices from law enforcement agencies such as the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and the ED itself,” the official said.
“As part of their modus operandi for laundering the POC, they opened and operated bank accounts in the names of employees, associates, and other hired individuals to collect and accumulate the illicit funds. Furthermore, to operate these bank accounts, the accused obtained pre-activated SIM cards using similar fraudulent methods,” the official added.
The investigation under PMLA also revealed that Makbul Doctor, Kaashif Makbul Doctor, and others laundered the POC by converting it into cryptocurrency (USDT). They routed the cash through various ‘Hawala’ operators to evade regulatory scrutiny and facilitate money laundering.
Earlier in the investigation, four accused—Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor, Kaashif Makbul Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai, and Om Rajendra Pandya—were arrested under the PMLA, 2002, for their involvement in money laundering.
Further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
