NT Reporter
Panaji
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Panaji Zonal Office, has filed a chargesheet before the Special Court, North Goa, against Hemant Raikar, Gundu Kelvekar, Mayuri Gundu Kelvekar and Chandrakant Gaykwad under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with a bank fraud case in which multiple loans worth around Rs 2.63 crore were obtained by pledging fake gold. The hearing in the case has been scheduled for July 6.
It may be noted that in February, the ED had provisionally attached movable and immovable properties valued at Rs 1.17 crore. The ED investigation revealed that accused Gundu Kelvekar managed to get 32 gold loans sanctioned in the names of 20 individuals by pledging fake gold ornaments. The other accused, Raikar, acting in his capacity as the empanelled gold valuer, misused his official position to certify the fake gold ornaments as genuine, the ED said. Immediately after the loan disbursement, the funds were systematically diverted to Gundu’s personal savings account and utilised for the purchase of bullion and acquisition of immovable properties, the ED said, adding that the total Proceeds of Crime (PoC) were quantified at
Rs 2.81 crore.
According to the ED, the attached properties, valued at Rs 1.17 crore, consist of a benami commercial shop in a building complex at Margao, the bank balance in the account of Mayuri Kelvekar, and the value of gold assets of Gundu Kelvekar held with Narayan Sheshgiri Jewellers.
These properties have been attached as they constitute Proceeds of Crime or the equivalent value thereof, the ED had said.
The ED initiated the investigation based on an FIR registered on October 7, 2022, by the Economic Offences Cell (EOC) of the Goa Police against two of the accused. The accused were alleged to have entered into a criminal conspiracy to cheat UCO Bank by fraudulently securing gold loans from the Verna, Fatorda and Margao branches of the bank.
