ED arrests two directors of multi-national rice company in bank fraud case

New Delhi [India], October 10 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested two directors of Amira Pure Foods Pvt. Ltd. (APFPL) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in a Rs 1200 Crore bank loan fraud case, according to a press release.

The accused were arrested on October 8 and have been identified as Aparna Puri and Rahul Sood. They were produced before the Special Court (PMLA), Rouse Avenue, Delhi and the Court has granted ED custody till October 11.

ED initiated investigation on the basis of First Information Report registered by CBI under various section of IPC, 1860 against Amira Pure Foods Pvt. Ltd., Karan A Chanana, Radhika Chanana, Anita Daing, Aparna Puri, Rahul Sood and others for committing fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating, etc, which caused wrongful loss to the tune of Rs. 1201.85 crore to the consortium of banks led by Canara Bank.

ED investigation revealed that key accused, namely Karan A Chanana, Anita Daing, Radhika Chanana, Rajesh Arora etc. have been absconding from India. Karan Chanana is the head of the global rice brand Amira having business in US, UK, UAE, Germany, Mauritius as well as in other countries.

Earlier in the case, during the search operation, various incriminating documents and undisclosed cash amounting to Rs. 1.01 crore was seized, and ED has provisionally attached immovable assets belonging to Amira Group of companies, Rahul Sood and others worth Rs. 131.5 crore which includes huge land parcels situated at Karnal and Faridabad (Haryana) and residential houses in New Delhi and Gurugram, belonging to the ex – directors and group / subsidiary / associated companies of the accused entity.

ED investigation revealed that the accused entities in connivance with each other as well as other related or un-related entities have illegally diverted loan funds sanctioned by the consortium of banks by way of transferring loan funds into the accounts of various shell entities, having dummy directors and through entry providers, under the guise of genuine business transactions. Investigation in the assets held in UK, UAE in the name of other entity, family member is in progress.