ED attaches Rs 3.8-cr property in Ashok Amritraj's impostor case

Accused colluded with Canara Bank officials to open an account and to encash fixed deposit worth Rs 7 cr

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said it has attached movable and immovable properties worth Rs 3.8 crore in a case of cheating banks and impersonating various persons including tennis player Ashok Amritraj.

In a statement issued here, the directorate said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered four cases against T S Anantharaj Stephen, Franklin Samuelraj Toney and D R Naik for cheating Canara Bank to the tune of Rs 14.5 crore and Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) to the extent of Rs 2.55 crore.

ED took up investigation as, prima facie, it appeared a case of money laundering. The agency in a statement said the accused impersonated tennis player Amritraj to open an account with the Canara Bank and colluded with bank officials to encash fixed deposit worth Rs 7 crore.

In another instance, the accused colluded with bank officials to divert Rs 8 crore belonging to Vysarpad Vinayaka Mudaliar Charities to two companies floated by him. Further impersonating the directors of Gokulam Chit Funds, the accused cheated IOB to the tune of Rs 2.55 crore. ED now has attached three immovable properties of accused, cash of Rs 1.41 crore and gold jewellery worth Rs 22.65 lakh recovered earlier from Stephen.