ED files Prosecution complaint against Rana Ayyub, says she used public funds for self
The ED filed a charge sheet against journalist Rana Ayyub under money laundering case, stating that she utilized publicly raised funds of Rs 2.69 crore for herself and also contravened the foreign contribution law.
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New Delhi, Oct 13: The Enforcement Directorate has filed a charge sheet against journalist Rana Ayyub under money laundering case, stating that she utilized publicly raised funds of Rs 2.69 crore for herself and also contravened the foreign contribution law.
The federal agency filed its prosecution complaint against Ayyub before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) on October 12. The ED stated that it had initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered on 07.09.2021 by the Indirapuram Police Station, Ghaziabad, U.P, under various sections of IPC 1860, Information Technology Amendment Act 2008 and Black Money Act against Rana Ayyub
"ED has filed Prosecution complaint against Rana Ayyub under PMLA, 2002 in Hon’ble Special Court, Ghaziabad on 12.10.2022," the ED said in a tweet. It also stated that Rana Ayyub launched three fundraiser charity campaigns on 'Ketto platform' starting from April, 2020 and collected funds totalling Rs 2,69,44,680 namely:
1. Help in raising funds for slum dwellers & farmers
2. Relief work for Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra
3. Help Rana Ayyub & her team to help those impacted by Covid19 in India.
It was also alleged that Rana Ayyub is a journalist by profession and received foreign contributions without registration under FCRA.
ED revealed that the funds raised on the online platforms were received in the accounts of her father and sister and subsequently transferred to her personal accounts. Ayyub utilized these funds to create a fixed deposit of Rs 50 lakh for herself and also transferred Rs 50 lakh in a new bank account.
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Out of it, only approx Rs 29 lakh was used for relief work. In order to claim more expenses towards relief work, fake bills were submitted by Rana Ayyub. Subsequently, bank balances in the accounts of Rana Ayyub amounting to Rs 1.77 crore including FD of Rs 50 lakh were attached.