ED files chargesheet in fake Microsoft call centre case in Dehradun

New Delhi, Sep 9 The ED has filed a charge sheet in a Special PMLA Court in Dehradun in a money laundering case against a fake call centre of Microsoft Corporation, an official said on Tuesday.

The Special Court took note of the ED chargesheet and issued notices to the accused for taking cognisance of the charges.

The chargesheet was filed against A to Z Solutions - through its proprietor Arif Ali, Nitin Gupta, Garvit Singhal and Udit Garg - in the case filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The ED initiated the investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Cyber Police, Dehradun, against Megha Rawat and others under various sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860, for allegedly running a fake call centre in the name of A to Z Solutions by the accused.

Investigation by ED under PMLA further revealed that the call centre was engaged in providing online technical support services to foreign customers by deceitfully inducing them to believe that it was associated with Microsoft Corporation, the ED said.

The illegal earnings generated from cheating foreign nationals were further routed to India through illegal channels, it said.

The Uttarakhand Police had conducted search operations at the premises of A to Z Solutions and seized cash, which has been attached by the ED by issuing a Provisional Attachment Order for Rs 1.26 crore, being part of Proceeds of Crime, the ED said.

The accused company had rented a three-storey building to operate the fraudulent call centre for duping foreign customers through fake online support services.

The company’s “international call centre” was located in the MKP Chowk area in Dehradun, the police FIR said.

The ED said the crackdown against A to Z solutions was part of its commitment to combat cybercrime and dismantle fraud networks.

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