The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the CB-CID is probing the alleged link of actor-producer and BJP functionary R.K. Suresh with the accused who were arrested in connection with the now defunct Aarudhra Gold Trading Pvt. Ltd., a non-banking finance firm, which allegedly cheated many depositors.
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Speaking to The Hindu, a senior officer said: “Suresh is under investigation. At present, he is in Dubai. We have taken action to summon him and will interrogate him about his links with the arrested accused in the cheating.”
The special wing arrested over a dozen persons, including Baskar and Mohan Babu, in May last year. In March, it arrested Harish, an ex- BJP functionary in Kancheepuram who was part of the gang that allegedly swindled the money of the depositors.
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The police said between September 2020 and May 2022, Aarudhra Gold Trading, which was functioning from Aminjikarai, collected deposits totalling ₹2,400 crore from over one lakh investors by offering interest ranging from 25% to 30% per month. The firm failed to deliver the promised returns and also did not return the principal.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate began its probe into the alleged money laundering of three finance firms, including Aarudhra Gold.
Following complaints from depositors, the EOW registered cases against the operators of these firms under the provisions of IPC for cheating, criminal breach of trust and other offences under the provisions of Banning Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, the Reserve Bank of India Act and The Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors Act, 1997.
The senior officer of EOW said: “We will continue our investigation [taking it] to a logical conclusion while the Enforcement Directorate will take up investigation separately into the trail of money proceeds.”