The FIR claimed that Rana Ayyub had illegally obtained funds from the general public in the name of charity by launching fund-raising campaigns on the online crowdfunding platform "Ketto."
Digital Desk: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet in Special Court in Ghaziabad against journalist Rana Ayyub under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
On the basis of an FIR filed on September 7, 2021, by the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, under the Information Technology Amendment Act of 2008 and the Black Money Act against Rana Ayyub, the ED launched a money laundering investigation. The FIR claimed that Rana Ayyub had illegally obtained funds from the general public in the name of charity by launching fund-raising campaigns on the online crowdfunding platform "Ketto."
Additionally, it was alleged that Rana Ayyub, a journalist by profession, received foreign contributions without first registering with the FCRA. According to an ED investigation, Rana Ayyub ran three fundraising campaigns on the "Ketto platform" beginning in April 2020 and raised a total of Rs 2.70 crore. She raised money for slum residents, farmers, Assam, Bihar, and Maharashtra relief efforts, as well as for individuals in India who were affected by Covid-19.
The central agency investigation found that the money earned on the internet platforms was first deposited in her father's and sister's accounts before being moved to her own accounts. Ayyub used these monies to open a 50 lakh rupee fixed deposit for herself as well as to transfer 50 lakh rupees to a new bank account.
Only about Rs 29 lakh, according to an ED investigation, was used for rescue operations. Rana Ayyub submitted phoney bills in an effort to submit more claims for expenses related to relief efforts. Bank balances of Rs 1.77 crore and an FD of Rs 50 lakh were subsequently connected to Rana Ayyub's accounts. Rana Ayyub defrauded contributors by creating three online campaigns under the guise of charity and illegally raising Rs. 2.69 crores, according to the ED inquiry.
Instead of being used for the intended purpose, this money was instead used to build assets for herself. In an effort to portray these funds as genuine, Rana Ayyub has laundered the money she received from the general public.
Additionally, in violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act of 2010, Ayyub obtained these donations from foreign nations without receiving official approval or registration.
According to the central agency, the inquiry showed that Rana Ayyub had undertaken the aforementioned activities solely with the goal of defrauding the public and had amassed proceeds of crime in the shape of FDs and bank account balances while portraying them as clean.
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