ED’s Search Operation Unveils Evidence Against Kiran Patel in PMLA Case
File Pic
20-05-2023 : According to an official release on Saturday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated action against Kiran Patel, a fraudster who was detained in March from a hotel in Srinagar, by booking him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
According to an ED official, searches were carried out at 12 places in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, Morbi, and Mehsana on Friday as part of the ongoing investigation into the case.
In addition to Kiran Patel, the ED has also included his associates, namely Jay Savjibhai Sitapara, Hardik Kishorebhai Chandrana, Vitthalbhai Motibhai Patel, Amit Pandya, and Piyush Kantibhai Vasita, as accused in the PMLA case.
The ED stated, “Kiran Patel, with criminal intent and through the use of fraudulent means, presented himself as a ‘Senior Government Official’ working in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) as ‘Dr. Kiran Patel, Additional Director, PMO (Strategies & Campaigns)’. By engaging in cheating, forgery, and impersonation, he defrauded unsuspecting individuals and induced them to perform or omit certain activities as part of a well-planned scheme to obtain monetary and material benefits.”
The investigation by the ED was initiated under the PMLA based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered at a police station in Srinagar, which charged Patel with various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Further investigations conducted by the ED have revealed that Patel has a history of fraudulent activities and impersonation, as six additional FIRs have been filed against him and his family members in Gujarat for defrauding innocent individuals by falsely claiming to be a “high-ranking government official” and exploiting his alleged political connections.
During the search operations, the ED recovered and seized documents related to immovable properties and substantial incriminating evidence.
The ED’s actions aim to expose and bring to justice those involved in financial crimes and money laundering, thereby safeguarding the interests of the public and maintaining the integrity of the country’s financial system.
