ED raids in Patiala, Pune and Chandigarh unearth call centre syndicate

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, conducted searches at four premises in Patiala, Pune and Chandigarh on Tuesday in connection with an investigation into a fake call centre syndicate targeting US nationals.

The gang involved in the case was part of an earlier ED investigation. The searches, conducted under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, led to the detection of three call centres, two in Patiala and one in Pune, where around 220 persons were found working.

The premises had multiple work stations, computers, headsets, mobile phones and networking equipment and were being used to make calls to US nationals and induce them to make payments under false pretexts. An officer from the ED said that they keep changing their offices to evade suspicion.

During the searches, the agency seized 66 mobile phones, 13 laptops, hard disks and other communication equipment, besides cash and records. According to the ED, the two call centres in Patiala were found to be engaged in cheating and extorting US nationals.

Data recovered from mobile phones and a laptop used by the operators contained details of the syndicate’s modus operandi and distribution of proceeds generated from the fraud. The same method of defrauding victims was also found to have been used at the Pune call centre.

The residential properties searched in Chandigarh were allegedly being used by the mastermind to coordinate and control the call centres in Patiala. Multiple digital devices containing data related to the operations were recovered from the premises.

The ED also found a person allegedly involved in processing and converting proceeds received in US Dollars into Indian Rupees. His role and the related financial transactions are being examined. The investigation is examining the calling campaigns, scripts, dialler and VoIP-based systems, victim-related data, payment channels, the persons managing and controlling the call centres and the flow of funds generated through the alleged activities.

The ED is analysing the digital evidence and other material seized during the searches to establish the complete modus operandi, identify all persons involved, establish links among the searched premises and trace the proceeds of crime.

Further investigation is underway.