The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is preparing to officially register a major money laundering case against Ravindranath Soni, the alleged mastermind behind a vast international Ponzi scheme. Soni is accused of defrauding more than 1,000 investors of a staggering Rs 970 crore, with victims spread across 12 different countries.
Investigation Gains Momentum with ED Entry
According to sources, the federal agency has concluded its preliminary inquiry and is now in the final stages of lodging the case. The ED's move follows extensive groundwork by the Kanpur police. Officials from the agency had earlier collected detailed case information from the Kanpur commissionerate police.
The Kanpur Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Additional DCP Anjali Vishwakarma, has already assembled a substantial body of evidence. This evidence includes complex financial transaction trails and alleged connections to celebrities. Senior police officials confirmed that all relevant documents have been formally handed over to the ED to aid their probe.
New Victims Emerge as Legal Net Widens
The scale of the fraud continues to unfold, with two more victims based in Dubai arriving in Kanpur just last Friday to file formal complaints. Sheikh Sabir, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, alleges he was cheated out of Rs 2.5 crore. Another complainant, Srikant Raya Polu from Telangana, claims losses amounting to Rs 4 crore.
To date, a total of 14 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered against Delhi resident Ravindranath Soni and his associates. The investigation has also ensnared notable figures from the entertainment and sports world. Actor Suraj Jumani, named as an accused in two cases, has not returned from Dubai despite multiple summons. The SIT is also awaiting official statements from actor Sonu Sood and former wrestler The Great Khali.
Forensic Scrutiny May Reveal More Names
A critical part of the investigation hinges on the forensic examination of electronic devices seized from Soni's residence in Dehradun. Investigators have indicated that the data analysis from these devices is ongoing and could potentially reveal more high-profile names linked to the elaborate financial scam.
The impending ED case marks a significant escalation in the legal proceedings, shifting the focus squarely onto the money laundering aspects of the multi-crore Ponzi scheme that has left a trail of victims across the globe.
