PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed Goa-based businessman Sunil Kumar to respond to all summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case of defrauding foreign nationals.
ED sleuths have alleged that Sunil – also being probed by UK’s investigation agency – has failed to respond to numerous summonses. The businessman has also been tightlipped on ED’s willingness to interrogate him at his residence.
“…Despite best efforts by the enforcement officials the applicant (Sunil) has not responded to the Directorate’s numerous summonses. Given the pandemic and the physical disability the applicant suffers from, the Directorate officials had even offered to visit the applicant at his house, as part of the investigation. But the applicant did not respond,” Standing Counsel Adv S Samant said in response to a plea by Sunil seeking anticipatory bail.
The ED, in May 2020, had attached 56 flats and 16 villas at Peace Valley in Deumol, Goa along with balance in bank account totaling to Rs 7.73 crore in the PMLA case relating to cheating of foreign nationals. Sunil and his son Ankit Kumar have thus come under the scanner. The attached assets are held in the names of M/s Sanatan Financers and Real Estates Pvt Ltd, Goa. The ED’s investigation is based on the FIRs registered by Goa Police on complaints lodged by foreign nationals.
During the hearing before the bench of Justice Dama Sheshadri Naidu, Adv Samant stated that Sunil apparently has no source of income, yet he purchased properties in the UK besides maintaining bank accounts there. The UK investigating agencies are also looking into his affairs.
