The Enforcement Directorate's Hyderabad unit has made a significant arrest in the high-profile Heera Gold fraud case. On January 10, officials arrested an impostor named Kalyan Banerjee in Secunderabad. Banerjee allegedly claimed powerful connections with senior bureaucrats and politicians. He used these false credentials to threaten ED officers who were handling the case.
Threats to stall property auctions
Kalyan Banerjee made repeated phone calls to ED officers. He warned them not to proceed with the auction of properties attached in the Heera Gold case. The ED is investigating this case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigation stems from multiple FIRs registered by police across various states.
The massive Heera Gold fraud
Police investigations revealed shocking details. Nowhera Shaik and other accused persons collected investments worth a staggering 5,978 crore from the public. They promised high returns of more than 36% annually. However, they failed to return even the principal amount to investors. This deliberate failure duped countless unsuspecting individuals.
ED investigations uncovered how Nowhera Shaik utilized the crime proceeds. She purchased various immovable properties in her name, her companies' names, and relatives' names. The agency attached properties worth 428 crore during the investigation. ED filed a prosecution complaint and a supplementary complaint before the special PMLA court in Hyderabad.
The auction process and illegal interference
Following Supreme Court orders, several attached properties went up for auction through MSTC. Nowhera Shaik repeatedly tried to stall this auction process through legal cases. Courts dismissed all these attempts. After failing to legally protect her properties, Shaik hired Kalyan Banerjee's services.
Banerjee received monthly remuneration and commissions for his work. He started messaging and calling ED officers. He falsely projected himself as close to high-ranking bureaucrats and politicians. Banerjee tried to entice officers to manipulate the auction process. When told to follow due legal process, he began threatening them and applying pressure to stall the auction.
Unmasking the impostor
ED developed intelligence that revealed Banerjee's true identity. He was impersonating a consultant to various departments. He cultivated close relationships with senior bureaucrats and politicians under false pretenses. Investigators found he furnished an incomplete address in his mobile SIM card KYC documents.
Based on intelligence, ED traced Banerjee to his Secunderabad premises. Officials conducted a search under Section 17 of the PMLA. His mobile phones revealed incriminating WhatsApp chats with Nowhera Shaik and her associates. These chats showed he was trying to manipulate investigation proceedings and judicial processes unethically.
The evidence revealed attempts to alienate and sell properties acquired with crime proceeds. Banerjee also sought massive commissions from illegal deals. In statements recorded under PMLA provisions, he admitted to impersonation to pressure officers. He confessed to acting on directions from Nowhera Shaik and her associates.
Judicial proceedings and stern warning
On January 11, authorities produced Kalyan Banerjee before the MSJ, Nampally special PMLA court. The court remanded him in judicial custody until January 23. The Enforcement Directorate issued a categorical statement following the arrest.
ED stated firmly that any attempt by unscrupulous individuals to interfere in its investigation proceedings would face strict action. The agency warned it would take appropriate legal measures against such interference. This arrest demonstrates ED's commitment to pursuing fraud cases without external pressure.
