CBI registers 72 cases relating to ponzi schemes: Sinha

The government today said CBI has registered 72 cases relating to ponzi schemes in about 3 years, while the Enforcement Directorate has initiated action in 57 cases under the money laundering law.
"Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also registered a total of 72 cases (71 regular cases) and one Preliminary Enquiry related to ponzi schemes during period between 2012 and June 30, 2015," Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.
The Directorate of Enforcement has registered 57 cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) for offences registered by law enforcement agencies relating to Collective Investment Scheme, Chit funds etc, he said.

In these cases, assets worth Rs 1,133.25 crore have been provisionally attached and 3 prosecution complaints have been filed under PMLA in these cases, he added.
He further said that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has assigned 139 cases pertaining to the so-called chit fund companies to Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) for investigation.
Investigations reveal that these companies were operating mostly in the Eastern and North Eastern states of the country and had intensive network of branches spread across these states, he said.

For the purpose of quickening the investigation process, computer forensic lab has been set up in SFIO for analysing the database of the companies under the investigation, he added.

Sinha also said that a high level Inter-Ministerial Group has been constituted for identifying gaps in the existing regulatory framework for deposit taking activities and to suggest administrative or legislative measures including formulation of a new law to cover all relevant aspects of "deposit taking".
Replying to another question, Sinha said the exchange rate of the rupee is by and large market determined.
"The government and the RBI are closely monitoring the emerging external position including exchange rate of the rupee and on on-going basis calibrating policies or regulations to support robust macro-economic outcome," he added.